Kocan: VsZP Meeting Recovery Plan; Some Delays Emerge
Bratislava, July 25 (TASR) – The state-run health insurer Vseobecna zdravotna poistovna (VsZP) is meeting its revival plan, stated VsZP head Miroslav Kocan at a press conference in Bratislava on Tuesday, admitting that not all measures of the plan are being implemented as planned, however.
“We expect the economic result for 2017 to be better than originally expected. The estimated loss of €197 million for this year is likely to be around €80 million lower,” said Kocan, adding that this can be attributed to meeting the revival plan as well as to higher incomes from economically active persons.
Kocan further stated that the health insurer inked settlement agreements with health care providers despite the fact that it originally hadn’t planned to do that. He also admitted certain delays in negotiations with providers. On the other hand, Kocan expressed his satisfaction with meeting the plan and said that the people concerned are giving it 105 percent.
The revival plan includes several austerity measures with the intention to save money on medication, health material and also health care coverage. The measures in question shouldn’t affect patients, however.
The VsZP head went on to say that in the first five months of this year the insurer managed to save money on medication, mainly by extending the central purchase of drugs (6.4 million). It also saved money thanks to withdrawing from contracts with ineffective doctor’s offices (2.4 million) as well as more effective ways of purchasing specialised health material (4.1 million). Moreover, the direct and indirect audit activities have helped to economise some €23 million and the insurer, in line with the recovery plan, is also saving on electricity, gas, rental, maintenance and repair work, added Kocan.
VsZP had to draft the revival plan to address the record loss that was originally expected to amount to €283 million. The figure will finally equal €112 million in 2016. VsZP expects to start generating a profit in 2018.
