Reduction of payments for policyholders angered outpatient doctors – SME.sk

BRATISLAVA. The reduction in payments for state policyholders has outraged outpatients. As stated by the Association of Private Physicians of the Slovak Republic for TASR, it is a matter of dishonoring their work.

The association pointed out that health care is facing a third wave of pandemic disease Covid-19.

“We have a very difficult period behind us, which has completely revealed and deepened the disintegration of healthcare. We expected it to help in something, the competent ones will realize this situation and start acting. However, we did not expect this,” she said.

She described the news that payments for state policyholders were to be reduced by more than 232 million euros this year as “scary”.

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The association therefore asks if this is a kind of mockery for health professionals. She also pointed out that, for example, the neighboring Czech Republic has been paying more for state policyholders for years than in Slovakia. She pointed out that while in the neighboring country the state insured is paid 67.25 euros, in Slovakia it is approximately 39 euros.

“The situation in healthcare has been bad for a long time, it has been unsustainable lately. There is talk of a bombastic recovery plan, new hospitals and reconstruction of existing ones. There is no talk of who will work in them and what we will treat patients for,” the association said with confidence. that this intention calls for a halt.

The association also expressed its concerns about next year’s health budget. He recalls that patients in particular need to be thought of.

According to the current tax forecast, the payment for state policyholders is to be reduced by more than EUR 232 million to EUR 1.2 billion.

Head of Finance Igor Matovic (OĽANO) therefore asked the Minister of Health Vladimír at the end of September Lengvarski (OĽANO nominee) on the commitment of appropriations in that amount. In response, Lengvarský promised that the provision of health care in Slovakia would not endanger it in any way.

The state pays health insurance for, for example, seniors, children, students, women on maternity leave or the unemployed.

Influence on the operation of hospitals

The decision of the Ministry of Finance to reduce the payment for state policyholders by more than 230 million euros this year may have a direct impact on the operation of hospitals. It can also jeopardize the care provided to patients. The Association of Hospitals of Slovakia (ANS) stated this in its opinion.

“The proposal to take hundreds of millions of euros from healthcare is all the more incomprehensible because it came in a year when hospitals and healthcare professionals faced the biggest crisis in Slovakia’s recent history, which only their superhuman efforts managed to cope with. will face a crisis situation, for example, hospitals will not be able to pay salaries to doctors and nurses, “ANS warned.

ANS has long warned that there is a lack of significant funding in health care. According to the ANS, Slovakia gives significantly less funds to this sector compared to the surrounding countries.

“We are afraid that if this decision is not reconsidered, the Slovak healthcare system will fall into an even deeper crisis,” the ANS stated.

The decision may cause a delay in health care

The decision of the Ministry of Finance to reduce payments for state policyholders for 2021 may result in the postponement of health care or non-payment of treatment to patients.

This was stated in its opinion by the Association for the Protection of Patients’ Rights (AOPP).

“Lack of money in healthcare can result in the postponement of healthcare and non-payment of treatment to patients, which is not only contrary to the basic rights of the patient, but it can also have fatal consequences,” said AOPP President Mária Lévyová.

According to Lévyová, further postponement of operations or planned examinations by specialists will worsen the overall health of the population, increase disability and mortality.

She reminded that the postponement of health care was significant due to the situation caused by the spread of Covid-19 in Slovakia. Many AOPP patients have missed, discontinued, or discontinued their scheduled treatment in the past year and a half at their own discretion.

“The situation is really serious from the point of view of our patients. We therefore call on the Minister of Finance to consider all the implications of this proposal and to grant full reimbursement for healthcare for state policyholders as defined in this year’s budget,” Lévy said.

AOPP is also asking the Ministry of Finance to pay for COVID tests for patients in need of medical examination from state resources. He justifies this by saying that health insurance companies also suffered financially during the pandemic, and today it is not yet known what the costs of the next wave of the new coronavirus will be.