GESY: €1.21 billion in expenses from 920,000 beneficiaries in 2021

Total expenses for services from the General Healthcare System (GHS) in Cyprus came to €1.21 billion for 2021 from approximately 920,000 beneficiaries, Senior Officer of the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) Angelos Tropis told CNA, adding that based on the preliminary results, the 2021 expenses will approximately be equal to total revenue.

He said that despite the unfavorable conditions, the organization 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 €227mn concerned outpatient services by specialist doctors, €87.7mn for personal doctors, €53.5mn for laboratory fees, €32.7mn for pharmacists` fees, €36.7mn for fees of other health professionals (physiotherapists, dentists and others), while the cost for outpatient pharmaceuticals amounted to €180mn.

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

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 €935.3mn, while revenue for the whole of last year from co-payments and contributions amounted to €45.1mn.

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 He explained that €30 million of the state contribution totaling €55mn, which was included in the original draft, was rescinded.

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 €1.39bn which includes the GHS and administrative revenue as well as expenditure totaling €1.38bn 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.