SaS: Minister Sasko Should Explain His Position on Dovera-Union Merger
Bratislava, 17 July (TASR) - Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) should provide his stance on the merger between health-insurance companies Dovera and Union, as this is one of the biggest changes over the last 20 years, MP Tomas Szalay for the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party told a press conference on Friday, criticising the fact that Slovakia is losing a competitive health-insurance company.
"Less competition means less pressure to innovate, weaker bargaining power for providers, poorer services, and ultimately less value for patients. In this context, I'm asking: Where is Kamil Sasko? Perhaps I should ask at the Presidential Palace whether someone might have accidentally dropped off his resignation there by mistake, as we haven't seen him. He hasn't commented on this most important transaction in the last 20 years, and only a coward would fail to comment on such a fundamental change in the sector," he said.
Szalay stated that Sasko should have taken many steps to prevent the merger of Dovera and Union, including by strengthening the state's regulatory authority, and in particular that of the Health-care Supervision Office, "so that it could act as a true regulator, ensuring that the rights of policyholders - former Union policyholders and new Dovera policyholders - are protected and that the system continues to improve," said Szalay, adding that he believes competition in the insurance market should take place through mandatory supplementary insurance and insurance plans. "By this I mean not voluntary supplementary insurance, but so-called mandatory supplementary insurance with mandatory insurance plans, where the cheapest supplementary insurance would be free - that is, it wouldn't cost people any more than it does today. But each insured person would choose an insurance plan according to their preferences and needs," he explained.
The Health Ministry has responded by telling TASR that this is a transaction between two private companies that manage public health-insurance funds. "The role of the Health Ministry as a regulator is to ensure that these funds are used in accordance with applicable legislation and the principle of providing the best value for public money for patients," it added.
The ministry said that the decision to carry out the transaction rests with independent bodies, including the relevant authorities of the European Commission. It further stated that it remains committed to this and is prepared to use all its legal powers to ensure that every euro from public health insurance is spent in the public interest, for the benefit of patients, and to ensure that health care is provided in a stable and sustainable manner.
Achmea B.V., stakeholder of health-insurer Union, and health-insurance company Dovera, a member of the Penta investment group, have signed a share-transfer agreement under which Union will be acquired by Dovera. The acquisition of the stake in Union will be financed by Dovera's shareholder and won't affect the funds allocated for reimbursing health-care fees. The plan is to merge Union with Dovera to create a single, stronger health-insurance company under the name Dovera.
