The Czech Republic

2021 ◽  
pp. 683-722
Author(s):  
Tamara Popic
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Social Health Insurance ◽  
Controversial Issues ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Insurance System ◽  
Political Divide ◽  
Universal Health

This chapter provides an extended look at health politics and the universal health system based on a compulsory social health insurance in the Czech Republic. It traces the historical development of the Czech healthcare system, characterized by a systemic shift from an insurance system to a fully state-run Soviet Semashko model of healthcare provision. Since the fall of communism in 1989, the Czech healthcare system has undergone significant reforms, including a return to a Bismarckian insurance system and market-oriented reforms in delivery and financing of health services. The post-communist reforms were characterized by the crystallization of the left–right political divide in healthcare policymaking. As the chapter argues, this division became particularly pronounced in the context of reforms introducing user fees for medical services and hospital privatization, both of which were controversial issues, with critics arguing that these reforms posed a major threat to the system’s solidarity.

Serbia

2021 ◽  
pp. 918-928
Author(s):  
Tamara Popic
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Social Health Insurance ◽  
Waiting Lists ◽  
The Self ◽  
Social Health ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Insurance System ◽  
Insurance Model ◽  
Universal Health

This chapter offers an in-depth look at health politics and the universal health system in Serbia based on compulsory social health insurance. It traces the development of the Serbian healthcare system after the breakup of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, characterized by a move from the self-managed insurance model to a more standard Bismarckian health insurance system combined with passive privatization. Despite efforts to restructure healthcare provision through a reform in 2005, the system’s two-tier structure remains firmly entrenched, protected by professional interests. The chapter highlights other healthcare issues including long waiting lists and corruption.

Slovakia

2021 ◽  
pp. 767-787
Author(s):  
Tamara Popic
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Social Health Insurance ◽  
Political Conflict ◽  
Social Health ◽  
Managed Competition ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Dramatic Shift ◽  
Insurance Model

This chapter offers an in-depth look at health politics and the health system in Slovakia based on compulsory social health insurance. It traces the development of the Slovak healthcare system, characterized by the shift from a social health insurance model to a Semashko model of health provision under communism. Slovak post-communist health politics has been marked by strong left–right political conflict and institutional barriers to reforms. Nevertheless, health policy in Slovakia displays a dramatic shift to a market-oriented healthcare provision based on user fees and managed competition, introduced in 2003 and 2004. Attempts to reverse market-oriented reforms were partially successful and have involved supranational and international authorities of the European Commission and of the International Court of Arbitration. As outlined in the chapter, some of the main issues facing the Slovak healthcare system have been overcapacity in the hospital sector, a malfunctioning referral system, and corruption.

Bulgaria

2021 ◽  
pp. 816-856
Author(s):  
Guergana Stolarov-Demuth
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Free Market ◽  
Social Health Insurance ◽  
Social Health ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Insurance System

This chapter provides an extended look at health politics and the compulsory health insurance system in Bulgaria. It traces the historical development of the Bulgarian healthcare system characterized by the introduction of social health insurance, which after the establishment of communist rule in Bulgaria after World War II was replaced with a state-run healthcare system. Starting in 1989, Bulgaria underwent a transition to democracy and free market economy. This triggered structural healthcare reforms, including the re-introduction of social health insurance with both public and private provision. However, as privatization was permitted without effective price control mechanisms and conditions for entry into the public insurance system, out-of-pocket payments became extensive, especially for pharmaceuticals. The main reform challenges have been to close the coverage gaps and secure sufficient financing by stipulating selective contracting with hospitals, strengthening the control on pharmaceuticals, and tightening the collection of insurance contributions. While political debates were initially structured along traditional left–right political party lines, since 2001 new center-right parties have shaped Bulgarian health politics. Nevertheless, the reform process still suffered from lack of continuity, and private interest groups have successfully blocked cost-containment policies.

Poland

2021 ◽  
pp. 745-766
Author(s):  
Tamara Popic
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Social Health Insurance ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Social Health ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Insurance System ◽  
Out Of Pocket Payments ◽  
Healthcare Politics ◽  
Veto Points ◽  
Universal Health

This chapter offers an in-depth look at health politics and the universal health system in Poland, financed through social health insurance. It traces the development of the Polish healthcare system under communism, characterized by a complete shift from an insurance system to a state-run Soviet Semashko model of healthcare with some elements of private provision. Since 1989, Polish health policy went through systemic changes which included a shift to a decentralized social health insurance system in the late 1990s and re-centralization in 2001. Polish healthcare politics has been turbulent, marked by political instability matched by a dense network of veto points, including the President and the judiciary, that had an impact on the direction of health reforms. As the chapter highlights, some of the main issues have been high out-of-pocket payments, corruption, and privatization and commercialization of public hospitals.

Prague, the Victorious May of 1945

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 80-91
Author(s):  
S. V. Kudryashov
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Controversial Issues ◽  
Political Struggle ◽  
Military Operation ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
German Army ◽  
Local Municipality ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
Group Center

The article deals with complex and controversial issues related to the uprising and liberation of Prague in May 1945. Interpretation of the events became acute and caused lively discussions in connection with the demolition of the monument to Marshal I. V. Konev on April 3, 2020 by the order of the local municipality. The Czech Republic is also discussing the idea of «perpetuating the role of other liberators» of the capital – soldiers of the ROA division, which for two days (May 6-7) provided assistance to the rebels. Using new documents from the Central archive of the Ministry of defense of the Russian Federation, the author draws a conclusion about the limited influence of the Vlasov units. They, indeed, brought confusion to the German ranks, but early in the morning of May 8, they themselves left Prague on a rapid march. After that, fighting and negotiations between the rebels and the German command continued. The article emphasizes that the main goal of the Soviet military operation from 6 to 11 May 1945 was the defeat of the German Army Group Center. The liberation of Prague was only part of a powerful offensive by three Soviet fronts. Heavy battles for Prague did not happen, but the entry of Soviet tanks into the Czech capital and the subsequent jubilation of local residents became a symbol of the end of the war in Europe. The author concludes that the demolition of monuments to Soviet soldiers and commanders is a manifestation of internal political struggle in the countries where it occurs, and the Czech Republic is only one of these examples.

Lithuania

2021 ◽  
pp. 456-472
Author(s):  
Liubovė Murauskienė
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Universal System ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Healthcare Needs ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Out Of Pocket Payments ◽  
Compulsory Health Insurance

This chapter examines health politics and the compulsory health insurance system in Lithuania and traces the development of its healthcare system. Since the country declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, Lithuanian health politics have revolved around restructuring and rationalizing the overcapacities of the inherited healthcare system, increasing levels of public finance to those sufficient to meet healthcare needs, and making good on the patient rights implied by a universal system. Despite those efforts, high out-of-pocket payments remain an obstacle to health solidarity, healthcare provision—which is predominantly public—is overly dependent on inpatient care, and public financing measured as a share of GDP remains low. As the chapter outlines, other issues include low levels of satisfaction with and trust in the health system and the persistence of informal payments to ensure quality care.

Montenegro

2021 ◽  
pp. 929-938
Author(s):  
Natalija Perišić
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Health System ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Social Health Insurance ◽  
Social Health ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Private Healthcare ◽  
Incomplete Coverage

This chapter examines health politics and the health system in Montenegro based on compulsory social health insurance. It traces the post-communist development of the Montenegrin healthcare system that started with incremental privatization and continued toward a more decisive move toward liberalization through the 2004 reforms, which included, among other elements, a stronger role of private healthcare delivery and the introduction of different types of voluntary insurance. As the chapter notes, the main issues facing the health system in Montenegro are incomplete coverage, limited access to healthcare, and lack of regulation of private healthcare provision.

scholarly journals Chronic heart failure - Impact of the condition on patients and the healthcare system in the Czech Republic: A retrospective cost-of-illness analysis

Cor et Vasa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. e224-e233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Pavlušová ◽  
Jiří Klimeš ◽  
Jindřich Špinar ◽  
Kamil Zeman ◽  
Jiří Jarkovský ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Chronic Heart Failure ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Cost Of Illness ◽  
The Czech Republic

scholarly journals Problematic Aspects of Judicial Protection against the Inaction of Administrative Authorities in the Czech Republic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-120
Author(s):  
Kateřina Frumarová
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Controversial Issues ◽  
Main Attention ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Administrative Procedure ◽  
Procedure Code ◽  
Administrative Body ◽  
Administrative Proceedings ◽  
Judicial Protection

One of the three most important types of actions in the Czech administrative judiciary is the action for protection against the inaction of an administrative body. Judicial protection follows on from the protection within the administrative proceedings (according to the Administrative Procedure Code). Its entrenchment in the Czech law in 2002 was a huge positive. Nevertheless, in practice there are some controversial issues or issues for discussion which relate to this action. The article analyses the essence of this action, its conditions and hearing in court. However, the main attention is paid to the problematic aspects of the action, both those regarding its legislation and those arising from the practice and case law relating to protection against administrative inaction.

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