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Slovak Trade Union of Health and Social Services is asking the Association of Hospitals in Slovakia for 10% increasing of wages for all healthcare professionals with effect from September 1, 2012. As stated by Vice President of the Union, Daniela Pochybová, the Association does not agree with the submitted proposal of collective contract sent by the Union and justifies it with the fact that current financial resources do not allow the Association to carry out further increasing of salaries. Trade unions therefore turned themselves to the referee with the requirement to rule the collective dispute. 

Financial group Penta has definitely took over the network of hospitals mainly in eastern Slovakia. Based on the decision of Antimonopoly Office it has acquired the 100% business share in Estate Consult company, which provides the network of hospitals named Svet zdravia in Humenné, Svidník, Spišská Nová Ves, Rožňava, Trebišov, Partizánske and Vranov nad Topľou with field offices in Medzilaborce and Stropkov. Penta plans to invest € 3 million into the modernization and healthcare services until the end of this year. 

According to the new labour code the employer will be able to ordain the healthcare professionals the overtime up to 250 hours per year. Minister of Labour underlines that the exemption will apply only to healthcare employees. Minister of Health has negotiated also with the President of the Trade Union of Health and Social Services, Anton Szalay, who absolutely supported this exemption. Overtime work for other employees remains at 150 hours per year. Amendment to the Labour Code should enter into force from January 1, 2013.

Network of pharmacies Dr. Max owned by investment group Penta is launching the petition for retaining of loyalty systems in pharmacies. This way it reacts to the effort of Ministry of Health to prohibit these discounts. Ministry has justified its proposal in the amendment to the act on pharmaceuticals by the fact that loyalty systems have marketing character and weaken the professional and medical character of pharmaceutical activity. 

Investment group Penta should in a short time become the only owner of largest private health insurance company Dôvera. Until now it has been sharing the property exactly in half with Cyprus holding company Prefto Holding. Penta has, however, agreed with Prefto shareholders on the purchasing of its 50% share. The reason is allegedly the disagreement between the shareholders of both companies. Price paid by Penta will not be published. Whole transaction has to be approved by Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic.

Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa - VšZP(General Health Insurance Company) is planning to spend € 420 000 on advertising. It has ordered the TV, print and radio advertising, as well as billboards and benches in the frame of campaign for the change of insurance company. This way it wants to fight for the clients of private health insurance companies, who may chose it until the end of September. If VšZP is successful, Dôvera and Union would thus have a lower value, if state will buy them. 

Private hospital in Šaca (district of Košice) is allegedly violating the rights of consumers by collecting of flat administrative fee in amount of € 1.2 for providing of extra services. According to the head of Consumer Centre, Miroslav Antoňak, by collecting of this fee the private hospital is violating the law, as by the common outpatient examination it does not provide any extra services, which would be somehow characterized. Hospital refuses these allegations. 

The proposal of Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská to renew the terminal network of hospitals is withstanding the wave of criticism. Ministry wants the 36 state healthcare institutions to have the contracts with insurance companies guaranteed from October. Several experts, however, warn against excessive distortion of the market. Proposal in the commentary proceeding was criticized also by all main actors from the health sector – doctors, hospitals and also insurance companies.

Total debt of Roosevelt Faculty Hospital in Banská Bystrica is in amount of about € 30 million, of which around € 24 million are overdue liabilities. Economic situation of the hospital has been, however, according to the director of hospital Vladimír Baláž, in the last half of year slightly improving. Management of the hospital expects the more significant change from the upcoming restructuring, which will bring also the reducing of number of employees.

Export of pharmaceuticals from Slovakia abroad will, according to the pharmaceutical companies, not be decreased even after the adjustments of pharmaceutical laws proposed by the Ministry of Health. Representatives of producers and suppliers of pharmaceuticals are even afraid that the act, which should put the re-export under control, will not be valid at all. The reason is its conflict with the EU legislation.