CURRENT STATE OF LEGAL REGULATION OF HEALTH CARE IN HUNGARY

Abstract

The article analyzes the current state of legal regulation of health care in Hungary starting from the 90s of the 20th centuries and to this day. The stages of creating a regulatory and legal base of the system of medical care for the population as a leading link of the state’s social policy after the 1990s are considered. The dismantling and transformation of the unified state health care system in Hungary began in 1990. Even then, the changes had two directions. The first of them has been introduced since 1992, namely the return to medical services based on the principle of insurance, instead of the medical assistance provided to citizens under socialism. The second was related to the transformation of the state administration system and the restoration of local self-government bodies (LGUs). Since the UDS were separated from the central authorities, there were separate health care facilities between them. After 2010, the healthcare system underwent significant changes. Regional self-governing bodies transferred the management of inpatient hospitals to central state authorities, and local government organizations are only engaged in the organization of outpatient care (family doctors, specialized clinics). In Hungary, the right to health care of every citizen is guaranteed by the Fundamental Law of the country. On April 18, 2011, the State Assembly adopted a new Fundamental Law. It is stated in Article X1X (1) that Hungary strives to provide social protection for all its citizens. In case of maternity, illness, disability, invalidity, widowhood, orphanhood and unemployment, which arose throughno fault of the citizen, every Hungarian citizen has the right to the assistance provided for by law. In order for the provisions on health care, which are enshrined in the Fundamental Law of Hungary, to be implemented, the State Assembly of the country adopted a number of laws. These legislative acts were directed to the creation of a branch health care code, protection of the rights of patients, detailing the conditions for providing medical care, ensuring the rights of consumers of social services, regulating the conditions for providing medical services, creating a health care management system, providing social insurance, pharmaceuticals.