Thursday, 17. October 2013, 10:03

In the centre of Bratislava begins construction of a new building of Hospital of St. Michael, which belongs under the Ministry of Interior. Work on the hospital was officially opened by tapping on the foundation stone by Minister of Interior Robert Kaliňák, Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenska and hospital director Marian Križko. The project, according to preliminary estimates, will require 49.7 million euros. Two thirds of this amount is earmarked for the construction of the building, the rest should be used for equipment. According to Kaliňák, the construction of a hospital will finance hospital by itself, seeing that the money for this purpose has already got more than five years from the state-owned assets.

Thursday, 17. October 2013, 10:01

Suppliers of hospital are losing patience once again. More and more claims against hospitals are selling to the specialist on their recovery. Only public hospitals already owed by such companies five million euros. Business with claims against hospitals can still grow, however, only large state hospitals have debts for 200 million euros. The same situation is in the smaller county hospitals. The biggest owner of such debt is company Magellan. It has claims against 40 Slovak hospitals. This company has also business in Poland and the Czech Republic, where has claims of fifty facilities. Since 2008 when it starts operate in the Czech Republic, according to chief of company Ladislav Valábek, have not led any execution against hospital.

Thursday, 17. October 2013, 9:58

Slovakia has from now a new broader list of diseases. The amendment of the Act on health care entered into force that spread the present. The modification of the list was the needed for the introduction of a new way of rewarding hospitals – DRG system. The legal standard also regulates the medical terminology according to current standards and practices. The amendment was pushed by Richard Raši of Smer-SD. He pointed out that in Slovakia was no revision of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) since 1993. Since 2011 ran the preparation of revision of current version and expansion of new diagnoses or groups of diagnoses. Preparation of introducing a new way of rewarding hospitals is not under the original plan, the introduction is expected in 2016.

Thursday, 17. October 2013, 9:56

The first round of the tender for licenses for emergency ambulance did not end successfully for several regional hospitals. They have been replaced by private or state companies. Emergency ambulances (EMTs) are considered one of the most profitable areas in the health sector, so hospitals will probably miss the sources. Licences will be re redistributed after six years. As is clear from the published results of the tender, the licenses to operate 76 ambulances ground emergency medical services are reallocate among the LSE-Life Star Emergency, Falck Záchranná, Záchranná a dopravná zdravotnícka služba Bratislava and Záchranná služba Košice. Conversely, the licenses lost hospitals in Trstená, Čadca, Bojnice, Spišská Nová Ves, Myjava, Partizánske, Námestovo and Poprad. Regional Hospitals wish to appeal against the results of the first round of the tender for EMTs. 

Saturday, 21. September 2013, 21:37

8 July, 2013 was approved Transformation Act by board of the Minister of Health. Even in June, the Unitization Company had to ask Public Procurement Office to check upcoming procurement for consultant. Transformation Act, which would have been payable from May has not been official presented by ministry yet. When it does so, it is not clear. According to Communications Department of Ministry, the law is ready but the deadline for submission is unknown. Similarly, the public procurement which should come to an end in April was not pronounced yet. The Ministry has introduced its condition and pronouncement should be after the disclosure of mentioned Act.

Saturday, 21. September 2013, 20:50

By next year, the health sector should get over 1.3 billion euros from the state budget. As is clear from the state budget, most of this amount, nearly 1.21 billion euros should be payments for state-insured. According to the current draft, state plans to pay less for its policyholders next year. The rate should be at a basic level guaranteed by law – four per cent of the tax base. The proposal does not like the Health Insurance Association, Association of hospitals of Slovakia, Slovak Medical Chamber, Slovak Chamber of Nurses and Midwives and Medical Trade Union.

Saturday, 21. September 2013, 20:48

Together 16 universities, teaching hospitals and several institutes whose directors are appointed by the Ministry of Health cancel the contract with Union health insurance company. According to Union, cancellation from them came in late June at a same time. With three of them agreed new contracts later. Contracts with 13 facilities are still valid, but expire 30 September. This is the last day, when people can exchange health insurance company. Union argues that the large hospital get together against it. Therefore wants to turn at the Antimonopoly Office. Office should investigate if hospitals are not abusing market position. The insurance company is according to law compulsory to conclude the contract with state hospitals and institutions. They are part of a terminal network, so insurance companies have to conclude contracts with them.

Saturday, 21. September 2013, 19:11

The Ministry of Health published the results of a public procurement for licenses to operate 76 ambulances land emergency medical services. As can be seen from the results, most of the licenses reallocated among themselves LSE-Life Star Emergency, Falck Záchranná, Záchranná a dopravná zdravotnícka služba Bratislava and Záchranná služba Košice. Licenses should be valid for six years instead of the currently four. According to amended law on health care providers, with the application for permission providers has obligation to submit also the proof of human resources of emergency vehicles and project of strategy and development of emergency services. Slovakia currently operates 273 outpatient land emergency medical services and seven airs.

Saturday, 21. September 2013, 19:07

Health insurance companies submitted for the first half of this year nearly 140-thousand proposals to conduct enforcement on premium payers. At the end of June, they managed to recover 64.8 million euros together. The General Health Insurance Company (VšZP) registered at the end of June this year 314.675 defaulters who unpaid the premiums of over two hundred million euros. Compared to the same period last year, the number of defaulters fell by 13 per cent. In the health insurance Dôvera is the list of debtors for the first half of 2013 nearly 60-thousand clients. Unpaid premiums reached 15.3 million.

The biggest public health facilities also face executions of nearly 600 thousand euros.

Health care facilities owed ​​the end of July the insurance Social Insurance over 70 million. Since last year their assets increased by € 21.3 million. Claims on state medical facilities have reached the end of July € 43.02 mil. Per month assets increased by more than 4.4 million euros.

Thursday, 08. August 2013, 17:42

Health insurance companies ended last year with a profit of 90 million euros. Compared to the same period in 2011 its profits increased by 36 million euros. This result from the report from Healthcare Surveillance Authority submitted to the Government. The largest profit reported insurance company Dôvera - 47.86 million euros. State General Health Insurance Company has been in the black € 26.340.000 and Union insurance company € 15.980.000. Total income of insurance companies amounted to 3.85 billion euros, which, compared to 2011 is increased by 239 million euros. Expenditure of insurance companies also increased. Compared with last year it was by 34 million. The highest share of all costs were costs on health care, nearly 91 per cent.