At the end of February, 83,599 people were on the list of policyholders waiting for the planned health care. The highest number of waiting policyholders was on this date from the State General Health Insurance Company (VšZP) and 50,185, Followed by private health insurance companies Dôvera (25.067) and Union (8347). Most people are waiting for hip or knee operation. It results from an analysis Health Care Surveillance Authority (ÚDZS).
The analysis shows significant differences between three health insurance companies in the number of policyholders who have exceeded the time availability period set by legislation. The highest number of policyholders has VšZP (23 274), Trust registered 3 902 policyholders who have exceeded the deadline and the Union ZP 1 169.
In Slovakia, the most insured people have long been waiting for an operational solution of the knee (6,499) and lumbar (3,938) of the joint and cataract surgery – cataract (289). “Regardless of the hospital operator and the health insurance company For total endoprosthesis (heart rate) of the knee or hip joint awaits an average of about ten months and for surgery of cataracts less than two months, ” approached the Office.
Health insurance companies rejected a total of 17 082 proposals, at most VšZP (23 percent), Subsequently, in the Union ZP (19 percent), at least in trust (16 percent). The main reasons for the refusal were non -complementary data within the statutory period (46.7 percent), Duplicate proposals for the same performance (20.3 percent) and incomplete proposals from one -day healthcare providers (10.8 percent).
In 2024 and until February this year up to 311 376 proposals were eliminated, Mostly because the insured’s care has already been provided, his medical condition has changed or the proposal has not been updated for more than 180 days.
In this context, ÚDZS has identified several systemic shortcomings. It recommends streamlining performance and capacity management, improving cooperation with providers, introducing more effective control and regular data updates, providing transparent statistics and inform policyholders about their rights and actively offer alternative providers when the waiting period is exceeded.
“The aim of these changes is to shorten waiting times, ensure equality of access to health care and increase transparency in the system,” The Chairman of the Office Michal Palkovič added.
Since January, the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic has introduced maximum waiting periods for hundreds of planned interventions. The amendment to the Decree on the categorization of institutional care was amended. Health insurance companies are obliged to ensure the provision of planned health care within the specified deadlines, otherwise they must propose another provider or reimburse the procedure for a non -contractual entity. The introduction of maximum waiting times is part of the hospital reform.
