The obligation to provide citizens with a basic network of emergency medical services is to be transferred from regional authorities to health insurance companies. A draft amendment to the Health Services Act was approved by the government of Petra Fiala at a meeting on Wednesday 11 September 2024. It also approved a draft amendment to the Social Services Act, which is to shift the agenda related to the payment of non-insured social benefits conditional on long-term adverse health conditions and the issuance of disability cards from the Czech Labour Office to the Czech Social Security Administration.
Patients in the Czech Republic are to be newly guaranteed a basic network of emergency medical services. At the same time, the responsibility for providing emergency services will be transferred from regional authorities to health insurance companies, which have more competences to ensure proper availability of health services. This is foreseen in the proposal amendments to the Health Services Act, which was discussed and approved by the government of Petro Fiala. The transfer of the agenda will significantly reduce the administrative burden on regional authorities. Emergency rooms will have to be part of every emergency admission.
The amendment also increases the fines for health care facilities to up to CZK 1 million if they charge patients illegal fees or demand reimbursement for care already paid for by insurance. The law will also redefine the position of the hospital ombudsman or institutionally anchor the provision of spiritual care in inpatient healthcare facilities. For more information see press release of the Ministry of Health.
The government also approved a proposal amendments to the Social Services Act. The main objective of the amendment is to unify the decision-making process on insurance and non-insured social benefits conditional on long-term adverse health status. Currently, the Czech Social Security Administration decides on insurance benefits, while the Labour Office of the Czech Republic decides on noninsurance benefits. The Government proposes in the amendment that both agendas be transferred, together with the agenda for issuing disability cards, to the Czech Social Security Administration. This will significantly alleviate the workplaces of the Labour Office and create conditions for the digitalisation of processes and for more efficient administrative procedures. Details in press release of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
The cabinet also approved the closure of Memorandum of Cooperation for the project Heat Export from the Dukovany Power Plant to the City of Brno between Teplárny Brno, CEZ, the Government of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Transport, the Statutory City of Brno, the South Moravian Region and the Vysočina Region. Although the Memorandum is not legally binding, it is an expression of the parties concerned to cooperate in the implementation of one of the largest energy projects in the Czech Republic. The heat pipeline from the Dukovany nuclear power plant to Brno is to run 42 km and provide an environmentally clean, carbon-free and reliable source of heat for the second largest city in the Czech Republic. This will enable Brno heating plants to substantially reduce their dependence on gas supplies.
After the Government's approval, it will be possible to proceed to the actual signing of the Memorandum on behalf of the Czech Republic by the authorised members of the Government headed by the Prime Minister. The trial operation of the hot water pipeline is planned to start by the end of September 2030 and the start of the supply of thermal energy from Dukovany to Brno in the newly built infrastructure from 1 January 2031.
government.gov.cz / gnews.cz-jav_07