On 11 June 2024, the Hungarian Parliament adopted Act XXIX of 2024 (Amending Certain Laws Affecting the Operations of the State), which stipulates several regulatory changes, including in the healthcare sector [1].
The main changes, which can also have a system-level impact, are the following [1–3].
- Primary health care: Amendments to Act CXXIII of 2015, starting 1 October 2024, the National Ambulance Service will provide out-of-hours general practitioner (GP) and general paediatrician services in Budapest. This marks the final step of the primary care out-of-hours service reform, initiated in early 2023 (see “Reorganization of out-of-hours services in primary care” from 20 January 2023).
- Prevention: Amendments to Act CLIV of 1997, effective from January 2025, grant the responsible minister for health the authority to issue decrees for mandatory screenings without age restrictions. Previously, screenings for individuals under 18 years could only be mandated by decree. Details regarding the specific age groups and types of screenings have not yet been discussed or decided by the government.
- Unified access control system in public buildings: Act CLIV of 1997 on Health Care is extended with a new rule stipulating that the employer may institute a unified access control system in state-run health care institutions. According to the new rule, the system can track healthcare professionals’ entry, exit, and stay in institutions, proclaimed to ensure continuity of care service delivery. According to an explanatory memorandum [3], the system will feature cameras and facial recognition technology, potentially aiding in enforcing other existing regulations like the new employment status rules. Discussing this regulation, the president of the Hungarian Medical Chamber said that while he understands that paper-based employee timesheets (currently in use) should be replaced, this approach “crosses a line”, arguing that improved working conditions, not increased monitoring, would enhance system performance [4].
This amendment package is a typical “omnibus” legislation, as it addresses multiple unrelated themes. The government’s approach to these provisions appears consistent with its regulatory interventions in the healthcare sector over recent years. Further evaluation based on practical implementation will be needed to determine whether these changes are beneficial or may negatively impact the performance of the healthcare system. Nonetheless, legal measures intended as “fixes” for systemic issues, such as using an access control system to ensure continuity of care, are unlikely to achieve their stated objectives without addressing the underlying causes of performance problems. A comprehensive, system-wide approach to healthcare is essential for developing effective policy measures.