UDZS: Profits of Health Insurance Companies Need to Be Regulated (2)

Bratislava, July 27 (TASR) - The profits of health-insurance companies need to be regulated, representatives of the Health and Finance Ministries, some members of the parliamentary health committee and Health-care Supervision Office (UDZS) head Renata Blahova agreed at a meeting on Monday (July 26), TASR has learnt from UDZS's Erika Kovacikova. A working group at the meeting featured Health Ministry State Secretary Jana Jezikova, Finance Ministry State Secretary Marcel Klimek, health committee members Jana Bitto Ciganikova (SaS), Zuzana Sebova (We Are Family), Marek Krajci (OLaNO) and Tomas Lehotsky (For the People) and head of the Finance Ministry's special state operations department Andrea Holikova. In addition to its head, UDZS was represented at the meeting by Peter Pavlovic and representatives of its legislative department. The working group's talks continue, said Kovacikova. The Government in its Manifesto committed itself to proposing that health insurers can make profits from additional insurance and from spending limits on activities only after they pay for all the ordered health-care services. It also committed itself to allowing people to opt for additional insurance. If an analysis shows that the current system of health insurers is failing to provide value for patients and to reach national health-care targets, the Government would consider introducing a unitary health-insurance system, i.e. a single health insurance company. Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) first government banned health insurers from making profits in 2008. However, the piece of legislation concerned fell foul of the Constitutional Court. Health insurers were again given the opportunity to make profits, albeit under certain conditions. ko/df