US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE1504

UNCLAS PRAGUE 001504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, EINV, EZ 
SUBJECT: CZECH PM APPOINTS NEW HEALTH MINISTER 
 
 
1. (U) Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek today named David Rath, 
currently President of the Czech Medical Chamber, to replace 
Milada Emmerova as Minister of Health. With less than eight 
months before the next general election, the move is being 
seen as an interim appointment. One of Rath's main tasks will 
be to reconcile doctors and the nation's main insurance 
company, who have been publicly feuding.  Rath, who had been 
a member of the opposition Civic Democrats (ODS) 91-94, is 
currently unaffiliated and becomes the sixth non-party member 
in Paroubek's cabinet.  Critics say he was chosen more for 
his media skills than his political ideology, since Emmerova 
had become a public liability during the doctors - vs- 
insurance company dispute. 
 
2. (SBU) Unlike some members of Paroubek's Social Democrats, 
Rath is not pathologically opposed to the introduction of 
patient fees, a move which many reformists believe is 
critical to any effort at health care reform. Rath is a much 
greater supporter of doctors in state hospitals than those in 
private practice.  Rath has also made it known that he would 
cut costs by promoting greater use of generic drugs, a move 
pharmaceuticals, particularly those producing innnovate 
medications, see as threatening.  Some pharmaceuticals fear 
that Rath will continue or even increase the trend of 
lowering reimbursement levels towards those offered for 
generic drugs. 
 
3. (U) President Klaus has initially refused to approve of 
the nomination, since Rath has not yet stepped down from the 
Medical Chamber. 
CABANISS