Slovenian Experience on Health Insurance

Aperiod of changes in what had previously been public health insurance began in Slovenia in 1992. A new legislation introduced amixedpublic-private insurance, the share ofGDPallocated for health care insurance inSlovenia equaled theEUaverage, and the financing of the public health insurance has been balanced up – until now. For the first time since Slovenia gained independence, the compulsory health insurance is planning a 6% reduction in its income. Theway to the solution of the problem lies in a political consensus on the public health issues in Slovenia, but it is still unclear whether it can be reached. A successful political agreement on the adequate amount of health care, granted to the Slovenian citizens by the public health insurance, should secure its balanced financing, which is about to be disturbed.