Valuation of the Programme of the Health Care Service Activities (Partnerial Negotiations)

Each year, the representatives of the health care service providers (chambers, associations), of the Ministry of Health Care and of the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (Institute) take part in negotiations and agree upon the common scope of the programmes of health care services and the funds necessary to cover the programme, at the national level.

As the result of the negotiation process, a written agreement is signed, which then represents a legal basis for the concluding of contracts with public health care institutions and private service providers. The significance of the negotiations lies with a responsible determination of the "upper limits" for the public funds for health care, and responsible spending of financial means collected in a solidarity manner in the form of contributions for compulsory health insurance from all insured persons in Slovenia.

Observing the general economic potential, the Agreement determines the overall extent of the health care service programme, priority areas, necessary capacities and elements (prices) to be applied in valuation of the services.

Each year, based on the adopted Agreement, Institute publishes a public competition open to all health care service providers eligible (concessionaires) to perform their services within the network of the public health care service network. In 2020, the Institute concluded contracts with 1.667 health care service providers. Of these, 201 were public institutes and 1.466 private practitioners, including pharmacies.

Thus, in 2020, of the total compulsory health insurance budget, the Institute designated a sum of approximately 2,3 billion EUR for health care services, 388,6 million EUR for medication, 82,8 million EUR for medical devices, 8,4 million EUR for vaccines and 446 million EUR for various financial benefits.