BRATISLAVA, January 27, (WEBNOVINY) – The Slovak Association of Hospitals and state-controlled health insurer Vseobecna Zdravotna Poistovna (VsZP) have stricken an accord regarding amendments to contracts at Friday’s meeting of hospital managers and the largest health insurance company. “We will recommend our members to sign the amendments to contracts,” the head of the association Marian Petko told SITA. VsZP confirmed that they have reached an agreement on higher payments from February 1, 2012. “This deal is conditioned on hospitals‘ making their costs more effective, which however cannot be to the detriment of the accessibility of health care,” informed VsZP spokeswoman Petra Balazova.
Only a day earlier, on Thursday, the association advised its members to not sign the amendments, arguing that they do not reflect the January increase of doctors‘ pays. However, at Friday’s meeting ANS and VsZP have settled their different positions. “According to our calculations this should be enough to cover a pay rise to doctors from January 1, 2012,” informed Petko. According to him the amount of funds by which the insurance company increased payments to the hospitals can not be generalized as it differs from hospital to hospital. According to valid law the salaries of doctors employed in hospitals should increase once again this year, on July 1. Moreover, if the relevant law is adopted, nurses should be given a pay rise from April, too. According to Balazova, they plan further negotiations with hospitals this year.
The Association of Slovak Hospitals has 56 members. Petko informed they would also want private insurance companies to increase their payments.
SITA