Ministry: Fees at Inpatient and Outpatient Emergency Departments Should Go Up

Bratislava, August 8 (TASR) - Fees for treatment at inpatient urgent medical care departments and outpatient emergency departments should be increased, representatives of outpatient departments and hospitals concurred during their round-table talks held at the Health Ministry on Tuesday, Health Minister Michal Palkovic announced following the talks. They also managed to find consensus on the issue of shortening the opening hours of outpatient emergency service for children. According to the minister, representatives of professional associations have agreed on a package of measures to help stabilise the outpatient sector and at the same time support hospitals. However, the changes have yet to be approved by parliament. "I'll discuss it with the premier and subsequently we'll initiative necessary legislative steps," said Palkovic. In line with the proposal, opening hours of outpatient emergency departments should be shortened from 10 p.m. to 8 p.m. as of 2024. Fees for unjustified abuse of outpatient emergency service or inpatient urgent medical care should be increased by approximately 2.5-times. The fee in outpatient emergency departments would thus be €5 and in inpatient urgent medical care departments €25. ko/mcs