Free Hospital Stay for Parents with Young Children
Current law allows free hospital stays for parents only with children under four years of age.
The State Duma has proposed raising to seven years the age of children with whom parents can stay for free in hospitals, including the provision of meals and a sleeping place. Deputy Yana Lantratova put forward this initiative.
«I consider it appropriate to make changes to the legislation, raising the age threshold that allows a parent or other close relative to stay for free in a medical organization with a child, including receiving free meals and a sleeping place, up to and including seven years,» TASS quotes the text of the document.
Currently, by law, free joint stay with meals and a place to sleep is guaranteed only for parents of children under four years. If the child is older, their legal representative can stay with them for free only in the presence of special medical indications.
According to the deputy, separation from parents has a negative impact on the child«s mental state. Therefore, it is important that a relative is with the children.
«The implementation of this initiative will increase the effectiveness of treatment, improve the psychological state of sick children and ensure their successful recovery. In addition, the presence of parents with children and their independent care for them will also reduce the burden on the medical staff of the organization,» concluded the parliamentarian.
