Health Ministry: Slovakia Making Progress on Fair Hospital Funding

Bratislava, 24 November (TASR) – Slovakia is making significant progress in establishing fair hospital funding, the Health Ministry press department told TASR in response to objections from the Doctors Trade Union Association (LOZ). The ministry said this in reaction to LOZ's claim that it's ignored findings by the Supreme Audit Authority (NKU). According to the ministry, business-financial plans and oversight mechanisms are already being implemented in practice to help ensure that state hospitals operate next year without running operating debts for the first time. "Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) has spoken about the need for systemic changes since taking office. He didn't wait for the NKU report, which, incidentally, assessed and described the situation up to 2023 and merely confirmed that changes are essential," the ministry stated. It noted that despite consolidation measures, the health-care budget has been increased by €550 million, which, it said, will go "exclusively to patients". A fair financing system is also to be supported by the Memorandum on Fair Hospital Funding signed in the summer by all state hospitals, non-state hospitals and all three health-insurance companies. "The Health Ministry values all health-care workers, with whom it holds regular discussions. This also applies to trade union representatives, with whom we maintain an open and, above all, constructive dialogue that helps us to preserve social harmony among partners in the sector," the ministry added. LOZ is calling for a special emergency government session to discuss NKU's April findings on the health-care financing system. According to the union, neither the government nor the Health Ministry reacted to NKU's summary report, and they failed to adopt sufficient measures. In April, NKU warned that the health-care system lacks a transparent mechanism for settling the funds that flow into it. It recommended that the government should task the Health Ministry with introducing effective and transparent resource allocation with measurable goals and regular public reporting. mf/df