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Country profiles of health system responses to the crisis | Czech Republic
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Changes to health coverage
Population (entitlement)
• Reduction of entitlement to statutory coverage for foreign residents and
transferred responsibility for coverage to private insurance, resulting in
higher premiums for this group (2011).
The benefits package
• Ministry of Health providers (university hospitals with half of all beds)
must adhere to positive drug lists and further lists are to be developed
(2011).
• Health insurers to develop positive lists for ambulatory care in 2013
(2011).
• Spa treatment and some dental care was removed from statutory coverage
(2012).
• A Ministry of Health committee was set up to develop negative lists and
exclude some services from the benefit package (2012).
• Ministry of Health plans to exclude dental amalgams for adults aged
19–64 years were opposed.
User charges
• Drug reimbursement rates that had been cut in 2009 were increased
(2011).
• There was a reduction in the drug reimbursement rate by 7% between
2009 and 2011 (the increased financial burden on patients was offset by
lower drug prices but once the reimbursement rate was increased, drug
prices went up again) (2009).
• User charges increased for inpatient stays from CZK 60 to CZK 100
per day in hospital (2011) were deemed unconstitutional in 2013 and,
therefore, these user charges were eliminated in 2014.
• Introduction of reference pricing for vaccinations and medical devices
(2011).
Changes to health service planning, purchasing and delivery
Prices of medical goods
• The approval process for the entry of generic drugs was simplified (2010
and 2012).