Romania seeks healthcare funding reform and fiscal stability

Romanian officials and health experts are calling for a fundamental restructuring of healthcare financing to ensure long-term stability. Horațiu Moldovan, President of the National Health Insurance House (CNAS), has advocated for multi-annual budgeting to provide predictability for hospitals and medication supplies. He noted that for 2026, CNAS expects revenues of nearly 87 billion lei, but highlighted that current mechanisms cause significant delays, with waiting lists for compensated medications exceeding 1,100 days.

Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare emphasized the need for fiscal discipline and predictability, warning that political instability and unplanned expenditures could complicate Romania’s financial situation. Nazare reported increased communication with rating agencies to maintain national credibility. He also met with the National Bank of Romania and the Financial Supervisory Authority to coordinate Romania’s position ahead of the upcoming ECOFIN meeting, focusing on financial sector competitiveness and public finance efficiency.

At the National Public Health Conference, discussions also touched upon European-level priorities. Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament, highlighted the need to ensure health remains a priority in the 2028-2034 EU budget, advocating for dedicated health investments and the maintenance of the EU4Health program.