Such an increase would otherwise have been necessary in order to prevent the health insurance institutions from running up new deficits and to pay off the debt incurred during the past few years. Patients’ increased personal contributions towards costs will probably act as an incentive to deploy funding more efficiently. Even so, these measures must be seen as no more than an initial step.
Deep reflection is needed on the organisational model and management of the public sector, to find solutions offering efficiency gains in producing public goods and services, thereby minimising the impact on society of the reduction of the resources allocated to the main spending areas. I do not want to take up much more of your time.