Up to 50 euros for a doctor's visit outside standard hours — this is a change that the Ministry of Health of Slovakia might introduce. The ministry is preparing an amendment to the law that will allow doctors to create paid appointment hours for patients who want to get a consultation at a convenient time for them, for example, after work.
The idea is to bring order to the system of unofficial fees and give patients a legal option to receive services faster if they are willing to pay for it. At the same time, this should solve the problem of long queues, which is one of the most painful issues for Slovak medicine.
How will it work: two queues in one clinic?
The ministry's proposal involves introducing so-called "additional appointment hours" (doplnkové ordinačné hodiny). This means that each doctor will be able to divide their working hours into two parts:
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Standard appointment hours. This is the doctor's main working time, during which all services covered by state health insurance will remain free for the patient. The doctor is required to work a certain number of hours per week (usually 35 hours) in this mode.
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Additional (paid) hours. This is time outside the standard schedule — for example, in the evening, early morning, or even on weekends. During these hours, patients will be able to book a specific time in advance, but they will have to pay for it.
It is important that switching to a paid service will be completely voluntary. The patient will decide for themselves whether they are willing to pay for convenience or wait for their turn within the standard free appointment.
How much will it cost and who will set the prices?
According to the proposal, prices will not have a maximum limit, and the doctor will set them themselves. Each clinic will be able to set its own prices, which will likely depend on the doctor's specialization and the demand for their services.
The key condition is that the price list for paid services must be transparent, publicly available, and approved at the level of the self-governing region (samosprávny kraj). This should prevent hidden payments and situations where a patient learns the cost of a service only after receiving it.
Why are paid hours being introduced?
The main goal declared by the Ministry of Health is to increase the accessibility of medical care and combat chaotic fees. According to the ombudsman's office, patients in Slovakia pay doctors over 500 million euros annually in various fees. The new system is intended to legalize part of these payments and make them transparent.
Among other arguments "for":
- Reducing queues. The ability to book a specific time will help reduce crowding in clinic hallways.
- Convenience for patients. Working people will be able to see a doctor without taking time off work.
- Motivation for doctors. Additional legal income could keep medical professionals in the public healthcare system and in the country overall.
Criticism and possible risks
The idea also has its opponents. Patient advocacy associations express concerns that such a step could create a two-tier healthcare system: one for the rich, another for the poor. There is a risk that doctors will artificially limit access to free hours to encourage patients to use paid services.
The president of the Association for the Protection of Patients' Rights, Mária Lévyová, notes that almost 10% of patients already refuse to visit a doctor due to various fees, and the new system could worsen this situation.
Currently, the proposal is under discussion, and its final form has not yet been approved. However, as reported by Slovak media, the government plans to bring order to the payment system, and the introduction of additional appointment hours is one of the key steps in this direction.
