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Article 17 of the Convention. The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report. It notes with interest the adoption of new regulations concerning the reimbursement of cost sharing for medicine and transport when the total of the cost sharing for the year reaches respectively FIM 2,833 for medicines and FIM 500 for transport.

The Committee also notes the comments transmitted by the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), which are contained in the report. In the opinion of the SAK, because the communities do not have enough capacity to provide basic municipal health care, people have been forced to resort to private health services; some 30 per cent of the costs incurred are refunded. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply detailed information on the impact of this situation on the implementation of the Convention, taking into account the requirements of Article 17, which provides that the rules concerning cost sharing by the beneficiary or his breadwinner in the cost of medical care shall be so designed as to avoid hardship and not to prejudice the effectiveness of medical and social protection. Please also state the rules that are in force respecting the reimbursement of the cost of medical care that is provided by private practitioners.

[The Government is asked to report in detail for the period ending 30 June 1991.]