After a two-year delay and among irregularities allegations on health card contracts awarding, Romanians are promised to finally get their new health cards next year, together with their ID cards. Those who will be issued an new ID card will no longer need a separate health card, as the medical data will be included on the ID card. For those who do not need to change their ID card, a separate health card will be however issued.

By the end of 2013, Romania will have produced 7.5 million health cards, according to Cristian Buşoi, the president of the National Health Insurance House (CNAS).

The first health cards will be distributed in Arad, where a pilot project is ongoing. However, an exact deadline for when Romanians will finally start to use their new health cards is yet to be given. Once implemented, the card will show the user is medically insured in Romania and all doctors, hospitals and labs will be reimbursed from the health insurance houses after scanning the card.

The card will include data about the blood group, the RH, major diseases and whether the card holder is an organ donor. The cards will be handed over by the family doctors.

The Romanian Government recently announced that it will notify the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) of the irregularities committed by Lucian Duta, former head of the National Health Insurance House (CNAS), in awarding the national health cards contract, which lead to failure in implementing the project and caused a EUR 1.2 million loss.

The control has been conducted at the National Printing Office, CNAS and the Health Ministry and “aimed to verify compliance with the organizational and functional framework necessary for implementing the project on national insurance card health,” reads the Government’s summary report.

In the reviewed period, the CNAS president position was occupied by Lucian Duta - between December 10, 2009 and May 8, 2012, CNAS’ general manager Dorin Ionescu as interim - between May 9 to May 24, 2012 and Doru Badescu - between May 25, 2012 and June 13, 2013.

In early September 2010, the former prime minister Emil Boc approved the memorandum for implementing the health card, initiated by the then Health Minister Attila Cseke and the CNAS head, Lucian Duta. According to the memorandum, the health cards were supposed to be produced as of January 2011, at a pace of one million cards per month, so that all the 18.5 medically insured in Romania to be covered in 18 to 19 months.

The inspectors accuse Lucian Duta of not fulfilling or poorly fulfilling his obligations, as he failed to conclude the contract with the National Printing Office for producing the cards. He also proposed for the courier contract to be awarded to the Romanian Post, through negotiation and without the publication of a participation announcement, but without the Post having exclusive courier rights, which triggered an EUR 1.2 million loss for the Printing Office.

editor@romania-insider.com