IntoBalance 08/2008 (english)

Health care in Slovakia have become familiar with receiving additional state funding packages in recent years to avert its financial collapse. At program Veriteľ hospitals did not have repay the so-called Raši loan. Former Minister of Health Uhliarik´s preparation of hospitals to transformation into joint stock companies has required € 300 million extras. Increased salaries were also support from the government reserve. Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenska says that except the contribution from health insurance companies will not be any additional resources. In coming years, to unsystematic external financing will state have no resources.  

General Health Insurance Company (Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa) will end this year with a profit of about € 25 million. Compared to 2011, is it almost of 20 million more. This year's expected savings was influenced by new way of allocating premiums as well as its rigorous exaction by executors. State insurance company, which policyholders are the most ill, thanks to a new redistribution of premiums collect monthly nearly four million euros more than in past. Profits at the end of the year except also private health insurance companies Union and Dôvera. They did not tell their estimates.

Former director of Hospital in Veľký Krtíš goes to prison for ten years, as he has tried to sell Hospital for € 100. According to a spokeswoman of Regional Court's Office in Banska Bystrica Nina Spurna, court found guilty former director of hospital of a particularly serious crime as breaching of duties in the management of foreign assets in the trial stage. Mr. Vachula as statutory of non-profit organization General Hospital in Veľký Krtíš signed a contract with a private company from Banska Bystrica, for just symbolic one hundred euros. This happened three years ago. According to him, reason for the sale was only to save the property of the hospital, which allegedly wanted some interest groups defraud and liquidate.

Returning of surcharges for the third quarter will affect 17.689 disabled and retired patients. Health insurance companies according to protective limit on payments for drugs should return € 311.129. Policyholders will get pay automatically, it is not necessary to apply for them. General Health Insurance Company (Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa) will pay to 13.432 policyholders amount of € 237.588. Health Insurance Company Dôvera sent back supplements in the amount of € 58.777 to 3.407 policyholders. Union Health Insurance Company reimbursed to 850 policyholders € 14.764. The information was provided by health insurance companies.

If patient visits private doctor, who has contract with the health insurance companies, health care should be provide for free. Fee may doctor ask for priority treatment. Doctors, however, have to ask the self-governing region for approval of the fee that will be charged to the patient. Region also decides on the maximum amount of the fee, which is different per each higher territorial unit. According to the president of the Association of Private Doctors Ladislav Pasztor, the highest fee for priority treatment is in the Žilina´s region (€ 25), while in Trenčin region is it € 3.32. The doctor may ask for direct payment also for administrative procedures.

Selling "irrelevant and unimportant" state assets, which is for Slovakia virtually useless, will ensure the country more money than is necessary to expropriate two private health companies said for television TA3 Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD). Fico thinks that the state should not be worry of extreme solutions like expropriation of health insurance companies. He noted that the possibility of such action is enshrined in the constitution in all EU member states. 

Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health this week founded the Company for unitarization. It should legally and economically assess the status of private insurance companies, which will be purchased or expropriated. It will also manage the liabilities of shareholders. CEO and Chairman of the Board is Martin Senčák, who is also head of the Office at Ministry of Health. The remaining board members are the Secretaries of Ministry of Health Peter Burian and Peter Pellegrini. Owners of private insurance companies still do not want to voluntarily leave the health insurance market. 

Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic approved the transaction, which the company Medirex takes half share in the laboratory diagnostic company - HPL. Company Medirex is owned by Radoslav Bardún together with German partner Hans Jacob Limbach. Medirex also owns hospital in Malacky. Owner of HPL is doctor Juraj Hanzen. Medirex in 2010 has turnover of € 27.5 million. Medirex company reported that by connecting with HPL will be create the strongest Slovak group in the field of laboratory diagnostics. 

Loyalty systems on prescription drugs in pharmacies will be cancelled from next year. However, amendment to the Act on pharmaceuticals, signed by President of the Slovak Republic, give pharmacists the opportunity to give up the part of their margin in the form of discounts up to 50% of the surcharge for drugs. According to amended, natural or legal person will receive permission for the provision of pharmaceutical care in only one public pharmacy and only for one division of public pharmacy. In practice, it means the elimination of network of pharmacies. The amendment will enter into force on January 2, 2013.

From next year will enter into force a new Decree of Ministry of Health on minimum staff, material and technical equipment of health facilities. According to it, in the service will no longer need to be three nurses, but only two, and one can be replaced by a paramedic - rescuer. This change is denied by Slovak Chamber of Nurses and Midwives. Ministry of Health believes that paramedics are as trained as nurses to provide medical care. The chamber is concerned about it and asks, how can be three nurses replaced by two people without reducing staffing norm. However, Ministry argues that these workplaces can have more employees.