Health Systems in Transition - Hungary - World Health Organization ...

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Health systems in transition Hungary
In addition to the listed cash benefits, the central government, the NPIFA and
the NHIFA cover a wide range of benefits, entitlement to which is not related
to the socioeconomic status of recipients. These include family benefits, such
as pregnancy and confinement benefits, maternity benefits, child care benefits
and allowance, and child raising support and family allowance; pensions, such
as old age and disability pension; and income replacement in the event of illness,
such as sick pay (HCSO, 2010f). The SHA classification considers households
as providers of home care (International Health Accounts Team, 2011). The
nursing allowance is a cash benefit bestowed by local governments to support
care provided by laypeople, including relatives, to individuals with severe
disabilities or chronically ill children under 18 years of age (1993/1).
In-kind benefits take two main forms: (1) in-kind benefits for impoverished
people and (2) in-kind benefits for people with disabilities (services of personal
social care). Benefits for impoverished people can take the form of either
reimbursement of actual expenses or the provision of services in-kind. The
two main health care related in-kind benefits are pharmaceutical co-payment
exemptions and eligibility for health care services. In case of the former, the
government covers the user charges for essential drugs and medical aids and
prostheses. For the latter, impoverished people who otherwise would not
have HIF coverage become eligible for health care. In both cases, the local
government tests for eligibility and issues an identity card to the recipients
certifying it to the provider. The government in power from 2006 to 2010
changed the rules of eligibility and utilization to decrease the abuse of the
system (see section 5.6). The user charges exemption scheme (közgyógy) had
396 recipients per 10 000 inhabitants in 2007 (Table 5.2). The Public Foundation
for the Homeless is a charity that provides health care for homeless people
in both family doctor practices and mobile units. The Foundation also runs
two residential institutions and two day-shelters (2004/3, 2004/8). There is
another public foundation established by the government and the municipality
of Budapest that is dedicated to serving the homeless in the capital (2003/14).
In-kind benefits for people with disabilities include primary social care
provided at home and in the community (including social catering and
domestic help) and special social care in residential institutions (including
short- and long-term residential care and rehabilitation). Between 2002 and
2007, the classification of services changed and their scope broadened (Mester,
2010). Five new service types were introduced (alarm-system-based domestic
assistance, community care for people with cognitive impairment or people
with addictions, street social work for the homeless, and social support service