Madrid reveals plans to farm out healthcare to private sector

Madrid premier Ignacio González on Wednesday unveiled plans to privatize a substantial part of the region’s health system as part of an austerity budget for next year.

González recently took over the premiership from Esperanza Aguirre, who, during her nine years in office, had become something of a standard bearer for the liberal faction of the ruling Popular Party whose ideas are now being adopted by other regions in Spain governed by the party.

Under González’s proposals, the administration of six recently built hospitals will be tendered out to the private sector. Planned healthcare spending in the region for next year has been cut by seven percent to 7.108 billion euros, which makes up 45 percent of the budget for next year of 17.048 billion.