Friday, 19. October 2012, 22:36

Proposal of Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská for third wave of increasing of salaries of doctors, to which the Government committed itself in memorandum, is already in the world. Ministry and Medical Trade Union are, however, very careful in their expressions, any of this parties do not want to introduce the details of this proposal. Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Health, Zuzana Čižmáriková, said that they firstly want to discuss on this issue with doctors and only afterwards with public. 

Thursday, 18. October 2012, 16:56

Nurses could imagine the solution of the situation, which has occurred regarding the act on their minimum wages, also by creation of new legislation measure. This proposal was presented by Slovak Chamber of Nurses and Midwives on the meeting with Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská. According to the President of the Chamber, Mária Lévyová, it could be a governmental or parliamentary proposal. Ministry is supposed to send nurses its written statement. 

Thursday, 18. October 2012, 16:51

Top 30 most often prescribed pharmaceuticals will get from January significantly more expensive in consequence of proposed measures of the Government. They include for example the pharmaceuticals for asthmatics, cardiac patients, but also for oncological patients. This results from the calculations of political party SDKÚ-DS, which were reported by Vice President Viliam Novotný. According to these calculations the changes would currently apply to 1 037 of almost 5 200 categorized pharmaceuticals. 222 of them would get cheaper and 815 would have a higher price.

Thursday, 18. October 2012, 16:50

If private health insurance companies will agree with state on their out-buying, there is a real risk that it would be at a price higher than their current market value. This was claimed by the Ministry of Justice led by Tomáš Borec. Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská claims that this is only a presumption, which may not be confirmed. Ministry of Justice in the comments on the project of implementation of unitary system of public health insurance warned also of the potential risk of non-compliance with European or Constitutional law. 

Wednesday, 17. October 2012, 21:13

Ban of the loyalty system for pharmaceuticals on prescription, as well as cancelling of the networks of public pharmacies, is closer to the approval. Members of Parliament have shifted the governmental proposal of the amendment to the act on pharmaceuticals, which includes the mentioned measures, to the second reading. Submitter, Ministry of Health, proposes to delete the clause about the loyalty system, as these measures with marketing character, according to it, weakens the expert and medical character of this activity.  

Wednesday, 17. October 2012, 21:11

Introduction of the system of one health insurance company is according to the Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská not only about the profits. It is according to her more about the fact that Government has an obligation to ensure health care and she thinks that unitary system is a better way. She also warned the opposition members of Parliament, that even though they have questioned the profit of health insurance companies in amount of € 500 million, health insurance companies by themselves have not done that in the interdepartmental commentary proceeding. 

Wednesday, 17. October 2012, 21:09

Healthcare acts on pharmaceuticals submitted to the negotiation of the Parliament are according to Viliam Novotný not in the interest of patients, but in the interest of lobbyists, profits of pharmaceutical companies and in the interest of the part of pharmacists, who do not want to provide the bonuses. The submitted legislation proposal is according to him missing the analysis of whether the prices of pharmaceuticals will due to the change of referencing decrease, or increase. Novotný, however, claims that pricing proposed by the Ministry of Health will lead to increasing of surcharges for pharmaceuticals for the sick and elderly people.

Tuesday, 16. October 2012, 20:02

Investment group Penta has sold medical laboratories in Slovakia and Czech republic – Alpha Medical, Inc. and also the Polish branch of laboratories – Alpha medical Polska Sp. Z.o.o. Buyer is an investment group Mid Europa Partners. Both investors do not want to publish the amount of the transaction. The sale is for now a subject to the approval by the antimonopoly offices. 

Tuesday, 16. October 2012, 20:00

Proposal of the proceeding of merging of health insurance companies will come on Wednesday to Government without any major changes. Government will on Wednesday decide, whether Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská should continue in the plan of creation of one health insurance company until the summer 2014 or not. Her colleagues did not announce any objections against this plan, the objections in commentary proceeding were submitted especially by private health insurance companies. They tried to doubt the claim that if there would be only one insurance company in the market, there will be more money for health care.

Tuesday, 16. October 2012, 19:59

If political party Smer implement the project of one health insurance company, it would be the biggest rubbery on citizens in the history of Slovak healthcare system. This was claimed by the former Minister of Health Ivan Uhliarik. He does not like that social democrats are planning to spend the money of tax payers on payments for shareholders of private health insurance companies. System of one health insurance company will according to him mean that state will pay hundreds of millions of euros to the shareholders of private health insurance companies instead of investing this money in hospitals, healthcare professionals or patients.