“The main reason for this bill is to rationalize a chaos, in which there are no distinct units because they do not deposit budget, they do not submit a clear account, they do not account for it and all their gaps are filled by the general operational operations,”
This was characterized by the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendiasto the relevant Committee of the House, during the debate on the bill entitled, “Regulation of the Health Issues of the Armed Forces and other provisions”, noting that “its aim is to shield military hospitals’ revenue, their financial rationalization and their operation”.
Responding to opposition criticism -the majority of which characterized the bill, fragmentary, unclear and indefinite, stressing “the need for comprehensive planning to solve a series of problems and the substantive support of the Armed Forces executives” -Mr.
“Criticism has to exist, but it must be able to withstand. This bill does not come engraved in marble or stone. We will adopt whatever proposal is an improvement, “Mr Dendias reversed, noting that” there is a peculiar shape in the money of military hospitals, which do not even have a VAT. “
“EOPYY’s money is not held by military hospitals as a whole, and a significant part is transferred to pension funds accounts. You know this, but no one mentioned it, “the defense minister said, adding:
“From where and where, by what logic will hospitals stand for, when part of their incomes go as a pension contribution? And how will a hospital stand that has not even a VAT ID, – at one, it has no tax ID – nor a formal obligation to deposit a budget, nor a serious balance sheet, which can withstand criticism. We know these. The main reason this bill is filed is to rationalize a chaos in which there are no distinct units because they do not deposit budget, they do not submit a clear account, they do not account for it and all their gaps are filled by the general operational operations. And this has been done for a long time. I didn’t hear anyone say that this is not right. “
At the same time, Mr. Dendias emphasized the financial survival of military hospitals which becomes impossible, as he said, with the low completeness they have to date.
“It was said that these hospitals should survive for the sake of military staff. Correctly. It was also said that they are deprived of similar staff to offer the services required. Do you have a sense of the quality of military hospitals? Obviously you don’t have. The 401 Military Hospital, in 2024, has 55%completeness. Do you know any hospital on the planet that can survive with 55%completeness? ” said characteristically and filled up:
“The best of all is the Naval Hospital, which has a 62% completeness rate, while 404 has 38% completeness. Is it wrong for hospitals and doctors to increase the fullness? No hospital unit can survive financially with these fullness. Or you should reduce beds and staff, or you should increase fullness. Do you think of the judges or a rooster? “
Mr Dendias also indicated for Nimic Military Hospital. “Has it been properly run to date? Do you know how many beds he has occupied with his ability? ” He said and pointed out:
“I feel bad about discussing a topic without knowing basic elements. We must first agree, what is wrong or what it wants to improve before we go see what setting we want to do.
We are discussing what we will do. Do not think we are putting something because suddenly a minister or deputy minister saw something in his dream and the next morning he went to write it. “
Mr Dendias spoke of “a bill that has clear directions”.
“The first is to heal the large administrative – and I say elegant – problems of military hospitals and to facilitate their staff, and there are significant innovations and the second large part of this legislation is how to facilitate the access of the Armed Forces staff to these services.”
“I absolutely share the ambition to be the best health system in the country, and also the right of Greek armed forces to access health services and outside the system like all Greek citizens. It is their right and is not mandatory. If they do not want, they will not do so, there is no obligation. Nor is there insurance, if they want to do so, but they are not second -class citizens. It is not right to be ghetted. It is their right to go where they feel they will have the best care. And it is my obligation to have the best treatment in the armed forces system. We are legislating this, “the Minister of National Defense concluded.