The debts of state-run hospitals totalled Sk5.91 billion (€196.2 million) at the end of last year, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zuzana Čižmáriková
At the end of 2007, such health-care facilities owed Sk5.84 billion (€193.9 million), the SITA newswire reported. Their debt thus grew by Sk70 million (€2.324 million) year-on-year. During the whole of 2007, it grew by Sk1.41 billion (€46.8 million). The debts of healthcare facilities that have been transferred to municipalities and self-governments and transformed to nonprofit organisations should be known within two weeks, Čižmáriková said. The Health Ministry has to submit a report on the state of the health-care sector’s debts as of December 2008 to the Cabinet by April 30.
The debts of state-run as well as non-public healthcare facilities could be settled with government help late this year. The Cabinet approved a debt settlement plan in mid-December and later decided the debts would be repaid with refundable financial aid. The deadline for repaying the aid will be fifteen years, with an initial two-year repayment holiday. Claims overdue as of September 30 of last year will be settled, up to the amount of principal debt owed. The plan covers health-care facilities within the jurisdiction of the Health Ministry. SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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