The Health-Care Oversight Authority (ÚDZS) and the German Institute for Payment Systems in Hospitals (InEK) have agreed to disclose the final price for development and implementation of the so-called Diagnosis-Related-Groups (DRG) system in Slovakia. The ÚDZS also posted the contract on cooperation on its website and to the Central Register of Contracts in order to make it valid, the SITA newswire reported.
“The contractual price amounting to €1.666 million including VAT remains unchanged from the price originally set out in the contract,” said ÚDZS spokesperson Radoslava Muchová, as quoted by SITA, adding that the sum is fixed and does not involve any risk of additional costs.
Muchová added that the sum will be paid in four instalments, with the ÚDZS making the first payment of €238,000 from its own budget.
The contract is to establish a new system, over the next three years, of payments between hospitals and health insurers. It also comprises consulting services for the transfer of specific know-how for development and elaboration of the Slovak DRG system and strategic consulting, a training program by InEK, and assistance in creation of cost calculations for instances of hospitalisation. At the moment, costs for treatment depend on agreements between hospitals and health insurers. The new system will base fees on diagnoses.
Initially, the ÚDZS refused to make the contract price public, saying that the figure was a trade secret at the request of InEK. But the Justice Ministry expressed its disapproval at the ÚDZS’ stance and cast doubt on the validity of the contract, given that since January 1, 2010, all contracts signed by state bodies must be published on the internet to be considered valid.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
