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The case of lack of oncological pharmaceuticals from June this year should never be repeated again. Ministry of Health plans to prevent it by monitoring of the export of pharmaceuticals. In the case of possibility of lack of pharmaceuticals on our market the State Institute for Drug Control will prohibit the re-export. As she added, it is not any undue interference into the free business of pharmaceutical companies. 

The presence of private health insurance companies on the market, according to the Minister of Health, did not meet the expectations. Plurality of health insurance companies has, according to her, overcharged the healthcare system. She considers the purchasing of private health insurance companies as the best investment for the future. How much it would cost, she could not say. Her predecessor Ivan Uhliarik claims that system of one health insurance company means a return 20 years back. He claims that it is necessary to tighten the conditions under which the private health insurance companies would be able to draw the profit. 

Bonuses and discounts, offered by pharmacies in loyalty systems, will probably end next year. Government has approved the proposal of Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská, which prohibits them. Pharmacies will be able to offer the discounts by over-the-counter pharmaceuticals even after the governmental ban only if they would not mean a bonus for purchasing of prescription pharmaceuticals. If Parliament and President will approve this amendment, also the purchasing of vaccines and determination of the prices of pharmaceuticals on prescription will be changed.

Pharmaceuticals for cardiac, diabetic and allergic patients will be cheaper. Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská is planning from the next year to decrease the surcharges of patients at the expense of health insurance companies. These will annually pay for pharmaceuticals totally € 4 million more than in the past. This is involved in the amendment to the Decree, which Zvolenská intends to submit to the commentary proceeding. Zvolenská is adjusting the rules set by her predecessor Ivan Uhliarik. 

81% of Slovaks agree with the possibility of choice of Health Insurance Company (HIC). This results from the survey of TNS Agency, according to which 57% of respondents have expressed the strong agreement with such possibility. The vast majority of respondents, namely 62%, according to the survey consider the control of using of money as a major factor for improving of the situation in healthcare system. It is a public control of resources in the healthcare system, which should be according to the President of the Association of Health Insurance Companies, Katarína Kafková, solved with higher priority than cancellation of health insurance companies. 

Regional hospitals are not going to fight against the act adjusting the wages of doctors in hospitals. As was clarified by the President of the Association of Hospitals in Slovakia, Marián Petko, hospitals will consider the submission to the General Prosecutor in the matter of this legal standard on the base of information from Ministry of Health, health insurance companies and critical will be also the shape of state budget for the next year. He pointed out, however, that part of members is inclined to the submission, other part is contrary careful. He admitted the concerns of possible strike.

Hard fight for the chairs in management of hospitals had not taken place. Ministry of Health has definitely determined the bosses in its six other institutions. The selection procedure, however, was more a formality. Almost nobody has expressed the interest in these positions, expect the substituting directors. Function was thus easily given to those, who Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská appointed shortly after her accession. 

Government has complied with Ministry of Health and approved the change of purpose of using the capital expenditures in amount of € 300 000. Money was originally intended for the project of rationalization and restructuring of healthcare institutions in the scope of Ministry which last year should have helped their efficiency and transformation into joint-stock companies. Now, Ministry can use this money for the expert information system. This should support the supervision over healthcare institutions and ensure the effective financial management of these institutions. 

Material proposing the way how Slovakia should move from the system of several health insurance companies to only one, is already in the world. Ministry of Health has submitted to the commentary proceeding „Project of implementation of unitary system of public health insurance in Slovak republic“. Material is still considering three possibilities of creating of one health insurance company, namely the management of portfolio, redemption of shares or specified assets or expropriation of private health insurance companies.

After doctors and nurses also other healthcare professionals want to have their wages guaranteed by the law. As stated by the President of Slovak Trade Union of Health and Social Services, Anton Szalay, according to the education, experience and difficulty of the work their wage should increase at least to the level of average wage in national economy, what is about € 800 monthly. Currently, according to him, some physiotherapists or laboratory workers earn € 400 – 450 gross, what he considers as inadequate.