What the newspapers say: November 26, 2010

A new world record in Bucharest, a 449,658 lights Christmas decoration. 62% of the Romanians will pay when going to see a doctor, 8 million are exempt. Romanian painter Andreea Radu impressed American actor Nicolas Cage.

Bucharest hosts the biggest indoor lighting decoration for Christmas, a new record to be inscribed in Guinness Book, Gandul reads on Friday. 449.658 lights were lighted in the mall, in Sun Plaza, Bucharest as Guinness Book representatives handed over the diploma.

Evenimentul Zilei reads that 62% of Romanians will pay when going to the doctors while 8 million people will be exempt. Starting next year, the system will be implemented but there are many voices that criticize it while others believe the new system will make order in the system.

Patients will pay 5 lei for consultations with their family doctor, for house visits they will pay 15 lei. A specialist doctor visit will cost 10 lei and a specialist doctor’s house visit 20 lei. For the personal contribution to the medical services, the patient will receive a ticket that will attest that the patient received the medical care and paid for it.

Critiques say that the new system will increase bureaucracy, will block patients’ access to medical care, increase management costs and will open new ways for fraud opportunities. There are also voices that believe in the new system that is already implemented in Germany, France and Italy.

Co-payment will educate patients: if their problem can be treated by an ambulance, why address to a hospital where the costs are higher, Presidential counselor for Health issues Virgil Paunescu said.

Romanian painter Andreea Radu, the most renowned painter in Cluj, Central Romania impressed American actor Nicholas Cage with her paintings, Romania libera reads. In a short visit in Cluj taking a break from Ghost Rider 2 shootings nearby Sibiu, Cage was impressed by the paintings in a restaurant, pertaining to Andreea Radu.

The American actor plans to buy a plot in Cluj for a holiday cottage, the newspaper said. She refused to say how much the actor paid for the paintings, saying that it is an honor for her that her favorite actor bought her paintings.