Milan Cabrnoch MEP (EPP-ED, Czech Republic) succeeded in the Committee for Employment and Social Affairs with his report. 39 MEPs supported (1 voted against and 3 abstained) the proposal of a report on European Commission report on modernising social protection for the development of high-quality, accessible and sustainable health care and long-term care. Milan Cabrnoch is therefore historically first Czech MEP whose report will be adopted by the Plenary session of the European Parliament after the success in the Committee.

The report of Milan Cabrnoch recommends to the European Parliament to support in its resolution main targets defined by the European Commission, i.e. high-quality, accessible and sustainable health and long-term care. "It is necessary to improve the access of the patients to the information, strengthen their rights and responsibility. The Member States should support better communication between the doctors and the patients and among themselves and allow the information sharing also to the social, health and long-term care providers," concluded Milan Cabrnoch his report.

Mr Cabrnoch included into his report amendments and minor changes proposed by his fellow MEPs, however he had to strongly oppose the proposals which would limit the right of EU citizens to look for a health care in other than own country. The report therefore emphasizes the importance of European Health Insurance Card, which is necessary for development of trans-border healthcare. "I have rejected efforts of certain MEPs to include in the report issues, which do not belong there - for example a directive on common market services or proposal of novelisation of working hours directive. I have also refused to accept amendments which would lead to higher tax burden, higher regulation and lower motivation of the citizens to care about their own health," said Milan Cabrnoch after the vote.

A number of MEPs has mentioned in the debate, if an appeal on lowering the patient participation should not be made in the report. "This issue ought to be decided on the national level - due to various situations in various states. Important is an agreement on the fact that the responsibility about healthcare lays on national governments and parliaments. Certain participation of the patients is a necessary part of all healthcare systems," stressed Milan Cabrnoch.

"I was very pleasantly surprised that even a significant part of the left-wing MEPs realizes that it is necessary to solve the problems of healthcare, which is in an opposition to proposal of Czech Healthcare Minister Emmerová who proposes to return to a communist state-healthcare model. Open and live discussion on the European level is in a sharp contrast with hopeless inability of the Czech government even to give a reasonable proposal of the solution," added Milan Cabrnoch.

Report of Milan Cabrnoch MEP will be discussed on the European Parliament plenary on the end of April.