How prepared is the healthcare system for competition?

Having started from scratch ten years ago, the market of private medical services - i.e. the revenues of private clinics and hospitals - amounts to 400 million euros per year, i.e. about 10% of the around 4 billion-euro overall amount spent in the Romanian public healthcare system. Data show around 400,000 Romanians pay a subscription to a private clinic at present, either through the company or individually.
The development of private medical services will, however, not occur without accepting competition among doctors, clinics, hospitals and even health insurance houses, is the conclusion of the event "X-Ray of the healthcare system. What is the diagnosis of the Romanian medical system? What are its sources of funding?," organised yesterday by Ziarul Financiar in partnership with insurance company MetLife.
"There are no obstacles to opening the market up to the private sector as long as service quality is ensured. The presence of private suppliers is a real alternative as far as boosting quality of medical services is concerned," said Lucian Nicolae Du]`, president of the National Health Insurance House (CNAS).
Of the 400 million euros, over 200 million are cash payments by patients, who spend around 24 euros on a consultation with a specialist doctor and around 1,700 euros for a birth. The rest of the revenues come from the 400,000 subscriptions (80 million euros) and from the payments made by the National Health Insurance House for patients who choose to be treated in the private sector, i.e. around 20 million euros for private hospitals and around 100 million euros for clinics.