Honvédkórház has confirmed that it will not provide information regarding a reported liposuction and chin surgery performed on Romulus Ruszin-Szendi, the former Chief of the General Staff, which allegedly was covered by national health insurance.

A brief response from the hospital cited patient rights and privacy concerns as the reason for withholding such information.

Inquiries posed by media included questions about whether the procedures were indeed conducted under national health insurance, the justification for using public funds for these interventions, and whether the hospital would undertake an internal investigation following the revelation.

Government spokesperson Gergely Gulyás announced that the Government Control Office is investigating the matter after the publication of these claims by a local newspaper.

The newspaper had previously reported on a fabricated emergency medical record pertaining to Magyar Péter, which heightened scrutiny over medical standards and procedures.

Reports from the newspaper suggest that local health services approved liposuction under the premise that “excessive fat hinders the general's ability to perform official military duties.” The article cited unnamed sources indicating that the decision to proceed with the surgery stirred significant debate among hospital medical staff, who classified the procedure as cosmetic.

The cost of such a procedure in private care is typically between 600,000 and 700,000 forints.

The report claimed that the request from the general was not turned down due to its connotation.

The National Health Insurance Fund (NEAK) responded to the claims stating that national health insurance would only cover reconstructive or restorative procedures that address developmental disorders, injuries, or deformities caused by medical interventions, aligning with the stipulations of Hungary’s 1997 Act LXXXIII on health insurance services.

Specifically, it clarified that procedures performed solely for aesthetic or recreational purposes are not covered by health insurance.

According to the relevant legal framework, procedures must be medically indicated and necessary to qualify for coverage.

Establishing the medical necessity falls under the responsibility of the treating physician.

In a brief video address, Ruszin-Szendi acknowledged undergoing the procedure but characterized the public disclosure as part of a smear campaign orchestrated by the Minister of Defense.

He asserted that such matters should remain private between the patient and the physician involved.

Concurrently, Magyar Péter has called for transparency regarding health interventions undergone by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán since 2010, including any VIP medical services accessed in both public and private healthcare sectors.