The vast majority of citizens (92%) state in a recent survey that the General Health System (GeSY) has improved their quality of life, while in the period June 2023-May 2024 501,035 beneficiaries underwent laboratory tests and 83,166 operations were performed, Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) Chairman Stavros Michael said in a press conference on Thursday for the five years of operation of GeSY. Among other things the press conference heard that the HIO has imposed administrative penalties and fines in 70 cases, including fines of 70 thousand euros, while it has carried out 600 ex officio investigations, which are expected to be completed by the end of 2024, 140,154 reassessments and 63,995 deletions of beneficiaries. The Organisation has also purchased special software for analysis and specialised control of in-hospital incidents. In his address, Minister of Health, Michalis Damianos, said that the implementation of GeSY is one of the most important social reforms of the Republic of Cyprus. "The vision to ensure a high level of health for citizens and timely and equal access to health services is being implemented at a steady pace despite the adverse conditions we had to manage due to the recent pandemic crisis," he pointed out. "Having already completed the first five years of operation of GeSY, we are now in a position to inaugurate a new period, in the formulation of health policies, with documented and appropriate interventions, based on good cooperation between the Ministry of Health, the Health Insurance Organisation and providers, for the benefit of the citizens, ensuring the long-term optimization of the health system," he concluded. Chairman of the Board of Directors of the HIO, Stavros Michael, presented the work of the Organisation as well the next steps and the Strategic Planning for the years 2024-2026. Michael said that during the fifth year of operation of GeSY (June 2023-May 2024), there are 969,722 registered beneficiaries, while 83,166 operations were performed. Referring to the expans ion of the services provided by GeSY, Michael stated that the new services that joined in the period June 2023 - June 2024 include - among others - 4 new hospitals, 2 Accident and Emergency Departments (A and E), 2 day care centres, 45 new innovative medicines and 78 new treatments. Regarding the financial viability of GeSY, the President of the Board of Directors of HIO noted that, according to the 2nd consecutive Actuarial Study by the ILO (International Labour Organisation) completed at the beginning of 2024, based on today's data, GeSY is financially viable up to 2031, maintaining a sufficient reserve throughout that period. The Fund's reserve at the end of 2023 amounted to approximately 590 million euros, which is equivalent to more than 4 months of covering expenses. However, as Michael said, the HIO monitors on a monthly basis the progress of the Fund's expenses and revenues, constantly intensifying monitoring in order to effectively deal with any problems arising from abuses or other distortions. At the same time, it continues the implementation of the Road Map for effectively dealing with abuses. He noted that the HIO, as part of the checks it carries out for the compliance of providers, suspended and/or terminated 11 contracts of 3 hospitals, 5 specialist doctors, 2 nurses and 1 laboratory, and rejected claims in excess of 10 million euros. Furthermore, it has imposed administrative penalties and fines in 70 cases, including fines of 70 thousand euros, while it has carried out 600 ex officio investigations, which are expected to be completed by the end of 2024, 140,154 reassessments and 63,995 deletions of beneficiaries. It has also purchased special software for analysis and specialised control of in-hospital incidents. "A survey by an independent research company that was prepared in April 2024 showed that 5 years after the implementation of GeSY, people have embraced it, that it has improved their quality of life and that they feel they have access to a system that is for everyone," said Michael, noting that 92% of the participants stated that GeSY has improved the quality of health services provided to Cypriot citizens. Asked about the biggest benefits through the implementation of GeSY, 62% of the respondents stated the reduction/elimination of access costs, 32% the increase of options for health service providers, 21% the improvement of the quality of services and 19% reduction in time/waiting lists. Asked about the most serious weakness of GeSY, 32% of the respondents stated the waiting list for a visit to a doctor or the processing of an operation, 24% the non-coverage of certain types of tests and pharmaceutical treatments, 23% the need to receive a referral from a GP to see a specialist and 11% the failure to meet needs in specific specialties. Source: Cyprus News Agency