International Human Rights Day is marked around the world on 10 December, and this year the UN has chosen the slogan “Our Rights, Our Future, Now.” On this occasion, Ombudswoman Tena Šimonović Einwalter calls for “turning words into action.”
For example, this week the Croatian Parliament will discuss and vote on the Declaration on the Rights of Pensioners and Older Persons. According to the Ombudswoman, this document provides a solid overview of the priorities that the executive and legislative branches should follow when making decisions and shaping public policies that affect pensioners and older individuals. Indeed, the Declaration addresses issues for which the Ombudswoman has already issued numerous recommendations—such as introducing the status of caregiver, protection from all forms of violence, combating poverty, improving long-term and palliative care, and more. However, the essential question is how to implement the human rights priorities outlined in the Declaration into practice—what exactly needs to be done and how.
For instance, the Declaration calls for aligning healthcare co-payments and medication costs with the financial capabilities of older persons. The Ombudswoman is therefore calling for concrete support, which would bring real change to many older people—highlighting a specific example of one problem affecting numerous individuals over the age of 65.
To address this, the Government of the Republic of Croatia needs to act on the Ombudswoman’s proposal and urgently initiate a change to the rule that currently prevents many older individuals and pensioners from exercising their right to reimbursement of transportation costs for medical treatment, leaving them to cover these expenses themselves. A key step would be to amend the Ordinance on the Conditions and Manner of Exercising Rights from Compulsory Health Insurance (Article 70, paragraph 2) to allow the reimbursement of transportation costs for medical treatment even when individuals have access to public transport from other sources.
Specifically, the problem arose with the introduction of a pilot project offering free rail transport for people over 65 and pensioners. As a result, based on Article 70, paragraph 2 of the Ordinance, they are no longer eligible for reimbursement of transportation costs for medical treatment—because public transport is formally provided. The free train project itself is a highly positive and welcome initiative, and the good news is that it is set to continue in 2025. However, without this minor amendment to the Ordinance, the free train project unfortunately creates problems in practice for many older and ill individuals, as it is considered that transportation for treatment is provided—even though, in reality, it is not adequately accessible to everyone.
The Ombudswoman has addressed this issue to the Government on several occasions and also raised public awareness in early October, on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons. Firstly, public transport in general—including trains—is often not truly accessible to those in need of medical treatment who live far from a railway station or must travel to a medical facility that is far from a station. Secondly, the train timetable may be entirely unsuitable for scheduled appointments, resulting in excessive waiting times for older people undergoing treatment. Thirdly, in certain medical conditions, using public transport is not advisable, and the conditions on trains in Croatia are not always suitable for older persons with serious health issues.
This situation places people over 65 and pensioners at a disadvantage compared to others who are still granted reimbursement for medical travel expenses, as they must pay for transport to the doctor themselves. These costs are not covered because transport is considered to be provided, but since train transport is in practice inadequate, they end up bearing the costs themselves.
Thus, the project, which was launched to ease the financial burden on older individuals, actually results in an additional financial burden for some.
Amending Article 70, paragraph 2 of the Ordinance is therefore an example of a simple step that could quickly lead to tangible change in the lives of older persons travelling for medical treatment—recognising their right to reimbursement for transportation costs, which would undoubtedly mean a great deal to them.