Matovic: Additional €365 million to Flow into Health-care Sector This Year

Bratislava, March 22 (TASR) – An additional €365 million should flow into the Slovak health-care sector this year, Finance Minister Igor Matovic (OLaNO) announced at a news conference on Tuesday.

Higher payments for state policyholders should bring in €100 million, and the share capital of state-run health-insurer Vseobecna zdravotna poistovna (VsZP) should be boosted by €120 million. The remaining €145 million should be provided by better collection of insurance payments.

“It is €365 million in total, this is how it worked out and it is fair in this way. At the same time, public health insurance needs to ensure the operation we need in order to provide us with appropriate health care,” said Matovic.

Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky (an OLaNO nominee) added that today’s agreement is just the beginning. Further measures are to be taken in terms of a better redistribution of money between insurance companies as well as measures to ensure that the money to be used by patients is actually received by them. “All the measures that are and will be taken are aimed at appreciating the work of our health care professionals and enabling better care for our patients,” he said.

Hospitals, outpatient departments, trade unions and patient representatives have repeatedly asked for additional funding for the health care sector. Small and medium-sized hospitals associated in the Slovak Hospitals Association also threaten to terminate contracts with the state or all health insurance companies due to the lack of funds. The same step was also admitted by outpatient doctors in the case of state-run VsZP.