Private hospitals are able to negotiate better deals with health insurers

Smaller and mostly private hospitals are better paid by public health insurance than large state hospitals, says doctors’ labor union LOZ, based on data from the healthcare authority ÚDZS. Among the five hospitals that receive the most money from the state-run VšZP are three hospitals from the Agel group. The situation is similar for private insurers Dôvera and Union. Agel's small hospitals receive more money even though they provide care for the least complicated patients.

                    ÚDZS and all three insurers say that the data is taken out of context. ÚDZS added that public hospitals are not paid less than private ones. (sme.sk, sita.sk, dennikN.sk)

State hospitals expect a cumulative loss of €165m this year. They continue to accumulate debts that will have to be repaid by the government.

(hnonline.sk)