The Finance Ministry intends to cap civil servants' annual healthcare expenses at 60 billion baht.
Manus Chamveha, director-general of the ministry's Comptroller-General's Department, said the government is obliged to provide health care for 5 million civil servants and their families.
This costs the state about 5 billion baht a month 80% for outpatient services and 20% for inpatients. But expenses are rising in line with the gradual increase in the number of family members, said Mr Manus.
The department yesterday signed an agreement with the National Health Security Office (NHSO) allowing the latter to run a clearing house for these expenses.
"Once the NHSO starts helping us to clear these bills starting in October, data for people in different schemes will be collated for cost comparisons. We can more easily control the cost of medicines and other medical supplies if we have a benchmark rate," said Mr Manus.
Source: Bangkok Post 27 February 2013
