He said that despite the unfavourable conditions, the organisation has managed to create a surplus of €300mn which can cover any marginal deficits that might occur and which ensures the Fund’s sustainability for the coming years.

For 2021, said Tropis expenditure for health services for approximately 920,000 beneficiaries amounted to €1.21 billion, of which €227 million concerned outpatient services by specialist doctors, €87.7 million for personal doctors, €53.5 million for laboratory fees, €32.7 million for pharmacists' fees, €36.7 million for fees of other health professionals (physiotherapists, dentists and others), while the cost for outpatient pharmaceuticals amounted to €180 million.

He also said expenditure for in-patient treatment in 2021 came to €563 million while expenses for First Aid and ambulances stood at €32.4 million.

Regarding revenue from contributions for the first ten months of 2021 (January – October), because of a two-month delay in collecting the data, said Tropis these amounted to €935.3 million, while revenue for the whole of last year from co-payments and contributions amounted to €45.1 million.

As far as the 2022 Budget is concerned, Tropis told CNA that it “has been adjusted based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Finance”. He explained, the state contribution, which was included in the original draft, totaling €55mn was removed, of which €30 million, has been removed.

Expenditure has been balanced with revenue and adjustments have been made in relation to the job vacancies, he underlined.

For 2022, revenue is estimated at €1.39 billion which includes the GHS and administrative revenue as well as expenditure totaling €1.38 billion which includes GHS expenditure as well as the HIO development expenditure.

The new budget has been resubmitted and is expected to be approved by the House of Representatives.

Source: In-Cyprus