The Slovak Government has postponed its plan to create a single state run health insurance company until 2015. It wants to merge the current state-owned health-insurer Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (VsZP) with the privately owned Dôvera and Union, but the latter two are against the move. All three gather mandatory contributions collected from all employees, employers and self employed that count for a total of 14% of their monthly income.
The Government does not like the fact that the privately owned insurers make a profit while the healthcare system is underfunded and suffers from poor financial management. Initially, the law which allows the expropriation of private insurance companies should have entered into force in May of this year. The reason for delay is the expected litigation with the owners of the private insurers who reject their voluntary withdrawal from the market.
