HPI

Member of Parliament Daniel Lipšic criticized the intention of Prime Minister Robert Fico to merge the private health insurance companies with state Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (General Health Insurance Company). According to him the out-buying of the health insurance company Dôvera would be suitable for Penta, its owner. He claims that without fair competition between several interested parties it is impossible to achieve the real market valuation of Dôvera. This creates a huge space for backstage agreements, corruption and provisions. According to him, this move would be a present for Dôvera shareholders.

The Constitutional Court on its Wednesday closed session adopted the proposal of Deputy of General Attorney to review the constitutionality of the act on minimum wage claims of nurses and midwives. Constitutional Court also granted his request and suspended the force of legal standard, which from April brought higher wages to nurses and midwives. Nurses are disappointed from this decision. 

In Slovakia we currently have the second cheapest pharmaceuticals in EU. Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská admits that this could be changed. She also gives some indication about the alternative of an average of three lowest prices in EU. Ministry of Finance points out that the referencing has been contributing to the savings of public finances for four years. Possible changes should, according to Ministry of Finance, be thoroughly analysed with regard to the availability of pharmaceuticals and their lowest prices.

Patients last year paid through surcharges € 13 million more than in 2010. But payment of health insurance companies in this category decreased by € 65 million. Totally it was spent 90.6 million of packages of pharmaceuticals on prescription. Payment for them amounted € 1.07 billion. In 2010 it was € 1.13 billion. Decrease was caused especially by legislation changes, which have shifted some pharmaceuticals from the category of pharmaceuticals on prescription to other categories.

Slovak Pharmaceutical Chamber submitted the comments to several acts to Minister of Health, Zuzana Zvolenská, who is preparing the amendments to the health legislation. As absolutely most important Chamber considers the legislative ban of pharmacy networks, no bonuses by issuing of prescription pharmaceuticals and mandatory complying with particular price rules by the amendment to the act on pharmaceuticals, increasing of criteria for professional competency or repeated introducing of specialization from pharmaceutics as the condition for managing of pharmacy.

Ministry of Health should get the competency to establish the National transplant organization, which should be the co-ordinating part of all processes of transplantation with exactly set tasks and mandates. This body should, inter alia, issue the written approval necessary for providers, who are providing the export of issues and cells out of Slovakia. This results from the amendment to the act on health care approved by the Government.

At the end of last year the Nitra self-governmental region started the negotiations with potential investors on the possible leasing of hospitals in Levice and Topoľčany, which are managed by the non-profit organization Nemocnice s poliklinikami (Hospitals and Polyclinics). They submitted their offer to the companies Angel and Penta. Region, however, refuses to inform on the stage of current negotiations and also which applicant should finally get the hospitals.

While health insurance companies are reporting profits, patients are still waiting for some examinations or planned operation for months. Patient organization calls on insurance companies to make first step forward the transparency of waiting lists system. This should be the publishing of waiting times in particular hospitals for diagnostic procedures or operations. Health insurance companies defend from it and do not want to publish the waiting times, until the law tells them to. Ministry of Health, however, intends to wait, until the need of change of the law will be shown by the practice.

Healthcare Surveillance Authority is currently exercising a control over all three health insurance companies. Control is focused on the contractual relationships. Authority is allegedly targeting the price conditions, fulfilling of the network and contracts related to the € 50 million reserve. More information will be provided by Healthcare Surveillance Authority after completion of inspection.

Pharmaceutical companies will probably from October pay significantly more for issuing of the decision on the registration of human pharmaceuticals. This is provided by the newest amendment to the act on administrative fees submitted by the Ministry of Finance. According to it the registration of new pharmaceutical will cost € 9600 instead of current € 2 489. Pharmaceutical company will pay € 8 000 for the registration of known or generic pharmaceutical. Increasing of the fees for the registration of pharmaceuticals was planned also by former Government.