[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”!!! PLEASE DO NOT EDIT !!!” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”!!! PLEASE DO NOT EDIT !!!” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – SUMMARY – Click on the WHEEL icon to open the textarea where you can paste or type your summary. The summary condenses the main points for the news that starts below. The summary is in bold and not longer than 300 characters, including spaces. The counter at the bottom can help.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||20px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Slovakia lost to EU Court of Justice in September over continuous late payments by public hospitals to their vendors. An average payment delay was 397 days. Amid growing health financing struggles of the state-owned General Health Insurance Company and budget prioritization disagreements, Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkov\u00e1 resigned on October 4.<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – TEXT OF THE NEWS – BLOCK 1 – Click on the WHEEL icon to open the textarea where you can paste or type your news. PLEASE USE ONLY THE FEATURED IMAGE FUNCTION on your right column to add the image.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||1em||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n On September 19, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Slovakia<\/a> was in breach of its obligation under the EU Directive (2011\/7\/EU) that protects European businesses against late payments. Public health entities providing healthcare (public hospitals and other types of organizations) have to pay their commercial debts within a maximum of 60 calendar days, reported Filip \u00c1\u010d<\/a> of Euractiv<\/a>. A Slovak Supreme Audit Office report uncovered an average payment delay of 397 days<\/strong>, resulting from serious financial struggles faced by the country’s state-owned General Health Insurance Company <\/strong>(V\u0161ZP<\/a>). Arguments by the EU Court of Justice read:<\/p>\n “From data concerning the average period for payment of debts on the part of public hospitals in commercial transactions, it is apparent that in 2015, 2016, 2017 and from 2018 until the point at which the present application was lodged, the Slovak Republic has continuously failed to comply with Article 4(3) and Article 4(4)(b) of the Directive.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n It was reported the country has avoided a large fine, but the Commission may return to court if the member state does not resolve the situation.\u00a0Zuzana Dolinkov\u00e1, Health minister of Slovakia<\/strong>, commented earlier on this issue:<\/p>\n “This is a long-standing, systematically unresolved issue that has persisted since 2015. The Ministry\u2019s leadership is intensively negotiating with the Ministries of Justice and Finance to address this matter. At the next government meeting, I will submit a document that will provide a comprehensive analysis and include alternative proposals and measures to resolve the situation.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n It is known that the General Health Insurance Company has a predicted year-end loss, predicted at \u20ac169 million as of July, but later adjusted to \u20ac95 million. The health insurance agency is\u00a0currently without a director after its former director, Michal \u010euri\u0161,<\/strong> was fired in August 2024.\u00a0The first measure to improve V\u0161ZP\u2019s financial situation was a hasty limitation of certain one-day procedures in outpatient clinics. The health insurance company terminated contracts with some providers and limited the monthly amount it would reimburse others.\u00a0Parliament Member Dr Tom\u00e1\u0161 Szalay <\/strong>warned:<\/p>\n “V\u0161ZP\u2019s (General Health Insurance Company’s) financial situation is threatened by the need for a recovery plan, and there is a real risk that it will not have the funds to pay healthcare providers’ invoices. Its policyholders face the possibility of having not shorter, but longer waiting times.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Amid the growing tension over the deficit of funds faced by the single payer of the country, on October 4, 2024, Health minister Dolinkov\u00e1 <\/strong>announced her resignation<\/a>. Among reasons for Minister Dolinkov\u00e1’s resignation was the recent approval of budget cuts by the Parliament of Slovakia,<\/strong> as part of budget consolidation efforts<\/a> to reduce the budget deficit across different sectors, which would impact healthcare.<\/p>\n The health sector would get a cut of \u20ac259 million<\/strong>, which was primarily allocated for healthcare workers’ salaries. Instead of the initial 9.7%<\/strong> t increase in doctors’, nurses’, midwives’, and other health worker salaries, their wages would grow by only 3%.<\/strong> This led to publicly expressed dissatisfaction by the opposition, and by health worker unions such as Medical Trade Union Association and the Slovak Chamber of Nurses and Midwives. Minister Dolinkov\u00e1 emphasised that the reduction has violated the agreement between the government and medical unions regarding salary increases and shared the following on the day of her resignation:<\/p>\n\n
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