Tunisian Parliament’s Finance & Budget Committee Holds Joint Session with Digitalisation & Governance Committee
Date: Monday (session)
Agenda
- Hearing of the President of the National Council of the Order of Physicians
- Review of the 2026 Finance Law
- Extension of deadlines for electronic invoicing compliance
Massive Exodus of Tunisian Doctors Raises Alarm
Representatives of the Order of Physicians opened the meeting by warning about a large‑scale brain drain of Tunisian doctors, driven by a growing sense of professional insecurity. While they reaffirm their commitment to fiscal duties, physicians condition the rollout of digital invoicing on a realistic and phased implementation.
Medical Confidentiality in the Age of Digitalisation
The main point of friction is the compatibility between digital platforms and professional secrecy. The Order voiced serious concerns about the confidentiality of health data, especially given a shared storage system between public and private sectors. To preserve patient‑doctor trust, they argue that strict legal and technical safeguards must be in place before any deployment.
Key Demands from the Medical Community
- Create a specific health‑sector tax regime
- Maintain free filing of tax declarations for medical practitioners
- Simplify administrative procedures that are currently seen as overly complex and opaque
Practical Obstacles to Electronic Billing
- Daily workload: Real‑time invoicing is impractical for many doctors. The Order proposes a more flexible monthly declaration instead.
- Age pyramid & equipment gaps: Older physicians and a lack of adequate IT infrastructure in numerous private practices hinder the digital transition.
VAT on Healthcare Services
In closing, speakers called for tax relief, reminding that subjecting medical care to VAT is a global rarity. They also clarified that the application of VAT to liberal professions stems from a late‑issued explanatory note, which altered the original interpretation of the Finance Law.
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