Tag: financing

Patient last year paid for surcharges approximately € 175.7 million, what is 8.3% more than in 2010. Compared to 2008 people paid even by € 21 million more. This negative growth should be stopped by the new categorization of pharmaceuticals, which is, according to the Association of Suppliers of Pharmaceuticals, being prepared at the Ministry of Health. Surcharges for pharmaceuticals should be increased in average by 5%. More than a half of surcharges or their increasing will be in the group of pharmaceuticals for cardiovascular diseases. 

Doctors and hospitals might have last year disseised the health care system of more than € 200 million. This was found out by health insurance companies, which by the controls detected the fictitious services or mistakenly billed procedures and pharmaceuticals. These were thanks to the controls finally not covered. Doctors are fighting back and blame the system. In the case, when insurance company find out, that doctor or hospital is charging the services, which have never been performed, they might end up in court. 

Private health insurance company Dôvera has last year taken a long-term loan in amount of € 179.5 million. This should have been provided by the consortium of banks, of which name was, according to the bank secrecy, not betrayed. Part of these resources insurance company used for the payment of liabilities to shareholders. The loan is allegedly not being paid from the resources intended for health care.

In Slovakia we currently have the second cheapest pharmaceuticals in EU. Minister of Health Zuzana Zvolenská admits that this could be changed. She also gives some indication about the alternative of an average of three lowest prices in EU. Ministry of Finance points out that the referencing has been contributing to the savings of public finances for four years. Possible changes should, according to Ministry of Finance, be thoroughly analysed with regard to the availability of pharmaceuticals and their lowest prices.

Debt in health care system thanks to relieving of debts of state health care institutions decreased by about € 134.6 million. At the end of last year it was € 150.5 million. This results from the report on development of debts in health care system approved by Government. Debt of health care institutions in the scope of state was € 69.44 million. Indebted are also the health care institutions delimited to municipalities and self-governmental regions, as well as those transformed into the non-profit organizations. Their total debt in 2011 reached € 80.93 million.

Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (General Health Insurance Company) and representatives of outpatient doctors has agreed on the form of new contract. This should be according to the conditions of legislation valid for 12 months, price quotations is, however, made only for 6 months. Doctors want to negotiate on its amount again. Based on the agreement the general practitioners will get from insurance company the increasing of payments by 8%. The payments of specialists should be increased by 5%. Agreement also assumes the increasing of the point for prevention.

Net profit of private health insurance company Dôvera last year reached the amount of € 39 million, what means 4% of its total turnover. Preliminary estimates of Healthcare Surveillance Authority (HSA) in March predicted the profit of fewer than € 10 million. The difference was reportedly due to the fact that Office did not have the definite accounting balance in that time. This was allegedly delivered to Office yesterday. Insurance company allegedly reached this profit thanks to the savings on operating costs and from the exaction of old debts. 

Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (General Health Insurance Company) will operate with another € 17 million. This will be enabled by the amendment to the Act on Health Insurance approved by Parliament last week. Legal standard newly defines the reporting of solvency of health insurance companies and abolishes the capital ratio and ratio of short-term obligations and liabilities. From July 1st only one solvency criterion is required: insurance company has to fulfill its obligations to providers within 30 calendar days from the day of maturity of liabilities.

Outpatient doctors do not want to accept the offer of Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (General Health Insurance Company). Current contracts are valid only until the end of the month. Slovak Medical Chamber, Association of Private Doctors and Association of General Practitioners for Children and Adolescents, which together represents about 70% of outpatient doctors, are asking the insurance company for increasing of payments on the level of 20%. Insurance company, however, only offers the resources from the reserve. Associations therefore advise doctors not to sign the contracts.

President Ivan Gašparovič signed the amendment to the Act on Health Insurance, which introduces the new mechanism of risk-adjusted premium redistribution. This step should bring additional almost €30 million annualy to state Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (General Health Insurance Company). This will be paid by the private insurance companies Dôvera (almost €22 million) and Union (€8.7 million). New re-distribution scheme will enter into force in July.