Finance Minister Marko Primorac said in parliament on Tuesday that next week the government will approve €55 million for the rehabilitation of health care debts.

Next week, we are planning to disburse around €55 million to solve the vast majority of hospitals’ overdue liabilities for medicines not paid 120 days, Primorac said in response to the replies of MPs during a debate on the budget.

On 31 October, the due obligations of the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance (HZZO) to pharmacies amounted to almost €153 million, and the liabilities of hospitals to drug wholesalers  amounted to €541 million, of which a total of €377 million was due and €56 million is over 120 days past due, the minister said.

Primorac also said that he is pleased with the introduction of prescribing unit therapy per patient, which he says will mean a significant improvement and bring significant savings in drug expenditures.

“I am confident that there is significant room for improving the operations of our healthcare system and reducing expenditures,” Primorac said.