[Co-payment for public health care services--public opinion survey]

One of the solutions aimed at improving the functioning of the healthcare system in Poland is to introduce patients' co-payment for public healthcare services. In all countries where the healthcare system is at a high level there already exists a co-payment system and it is regarded by many specialists as a necessary and indispensable condition for the proper functioning of healthcare. The aim of this study was to show respondents' attitudes and opinions regarding the proposal of introduction co-payments as and additional form of financing medical care. The questionnaire survey covered a group of 2,409 persons (50.7% men and 49.3% women). Most respondents, despite the overall rising dissatisfaction with the quality and availability of medical services do not see the need for co-payments. The opinion about the implementation of co-payments. The opinion about the implementation of co-payments depends on many factors, to the most important belong age, education, place of residence and income. More often, the co-payments is in favour of young people in good health condition, who live in big cities, having a university degree and determining their financial situation as good. Before the introduction of co-payment - certain social groups, which would be exempt from additional fees, should be specified. To the highest costs that patients are able to carry belong: paying for a home visit of family doctor or specialist, for surgical procedures, and for complex tests performed during the hospital stay (including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging).