As of January 1, people earning €4,290 or more will pay higher mandatory health care contributions as the maximum assessment base was cancelled. This measure is expected to affect approximately 15,000 people. "Cancelling of the maximum assessment base is valid for incomes from employment, doing business, stock incomes and other incomes where the insurer pays advance payments from the entire assessment base. The measure does not apply to dividends from the accounting period from January 2011 to December 2016," said Petra Balážová, spokesperson of the state run health insurer - Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa.
This means that incomes of the health care system should grow by €82 million. The Health Ministry wants to use the money for the reconstruction of hospitals and purchase of medical equipment. Moreover, a part should be invested in the construction of a secure psychiatric detention facility.
So that the funds can be sent directly to hospitals, rather than the budgets of health insurance companies, the state has reduced the rate, which it pays for special categories of people such as students, unemployed, pensioners and mothers on maternity leave. Thus, out of the entire sum of €82 million, approximately €70 million should end up in hospitals and the insurers should be some €12 million better off after the cancellation of the maximum assessment base.
