VsZP extends current contracts with hospitals and healthcare providers until March 2011

2010-07-09

Vseobecna Zdravotna Poistovna (VsZP), the largest health insurance company in Slovakia, has agreed to extend its contracts with hospitals, doctors and specialists until March 2011, in the form of an amendment. Petra Balazova, a spokeswoman for VsZP, told the TASR news agency that the existing contractual payment terms will remain unchanged and will be valid until 30 September 2010.
The state-run insurer has decided to extend the contracts of all existing partners, with the exception of several providers of joint examination and therapeutic units (SVaLZs). Such units provide diagnostic and therapeutic services such as radiology, haematology, transfusion, physiotherapy, pathology, clinical biochemistry, etc. for both outpatient and inpatient hospital departments (they do not have their own hospital beds or patients). They can be operated on an independent basis by independent providers or be part of another health facility/hospital. According to Ms Balazova, only those SVaLZ departments which boast the best quality, effectiveness and availability ratings were granted the contract. The remaining units have a contract in place until 31 July.