Health Care Reform to Provide Care for Poor, Apply Offset Scheme

Ljubljana, 18 May

Health Minister Andrej Brucan has unveiled the long-awaited changes to the health care act that would see the poorest parts of the population given full health insurance for free. The changes would also see an offset scheme introduced for supplementary health insurance companies and lower sickness benefits for long-term absence from work.

The aim of this piece of legislation is not to cut health care benefits but to redistribute them, Brucan said at a press conference in Ljubljana on Wednesday. According to him, around 100,000 of Slovenia's poorest inhabitants would be given full health insurance for free as a result.
Brucan also said today that there would be no change to sickness benefits for short-term absence from work. However, new provisions have been drawn up for absences of more than a month.
In line with the provisions, those hurt in accidents not related to their job would no longer be entitled to full pay during their absence.
The pay would depend on the type of accident: those hurt while taking part in dangerous sports would get as little as 50%, while an employee would be entitled to 70% of their salary for injuries sustained in most other out-of-work accidents.
According to Brucan, the aim is to make people more responsible and assume a part of the costs related to out-of-work accidents, especially those sustained during high-risk activities.
Moreover, Brucan said sick leave would be capped at 21 months in order to avoid cases where people have been "extending their leave indefinitely".
Brucan said savings from measures related to sick leave and some minor changes to way contributions are paid would amount to SIT 9.7bn (EUR 40.5m). This would suffice for giving full health insurance to the poorest parts of the population and reducing waiting periods for operations, he added.
The reform also envisages the introduction of an offset scheme for supplementary health insurance. In line with the proposal, all providers of supplementary health insurance would have to sign up to the scheme that would strive to ensure equal policy costs for all age groups.
Currently insurance companies offer cheaper insurance to young people because they are less likely to get sick. By signing on only young people, insurance companies can make a larger profit.
However, the offset scheme would see companies providing supplementary health care insurance share a part of their profits among themselves depending on the age structure of their insurance-holders, with those with older insurance-holders entitled to more money.
According to Brucan, the bill should be passed in emergency procedure because of the need for the speedy implementation of the offset scheme.
Brucan also said the proposed changes are an attempt to introduce stability into a system that is being stretched to full capacity by demographic trends and other factors.
He added that the government would draft a comprehensive reform of health care legislation by 2006.

Health Care Reform to Provide Care for Poor, Apply Offset Scheme

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