An agreement has been reached between state-owned health insurance company VsZP and Philipp Pinel Psychiatric Hospital in Pezinok (Bratislava region) on the extension of the contractual conditions, Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Hlas-SD) told a press conference on Tuesday, declining to provide further information.
"I've given clear instructions today on how I imagine this situation will be approached. I have information that there has been an agreement. I don't want to talk about it because first I want to hear it from my colleagues, both from the hospital director and VsZP, and then I'll announce that outcome. But I want to reassure that I won't allow any fearmongering, which has started to spread, to happen," stated the minister, stressing that he didn't hide from the issue and immediately asked his colleagues at the ministry to begin negotiations.
Philipp Pinel Psychiatric Hospital in Pezinok is in danger of not having a contract with the state-run health insurer as of November. In practice, this would mean the discharge of more than 150 patients in the middle of treatment. The hospital has therefore appealed to VsZP for a joint negotiation. The health insurance company claims that the hospital insists on unreasonable conditions. It has declared that it is open to talks. However, an agreement can only be reached by mutual consensus of both parties.
Source: TASR
