On 7 July 2023, the then Minister of Health, Danijel Bešić Loredan, presented his signed resignation to the Prime Minister, Dr. Robert Golob, ending a period of mounting pressure related to differences in the approach to health reform between the Minister and the Prime Minister.
The process probably started with the appointment of a broader Strategic Council (SC) for Health Reform directly by the Prime Minister’s cabinet and including members of the previous Health Minister’s advisory body and several additional members (see “Whole-system Health Reform preparation formally launched in Slovenia” https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/monitors/health-systems-monitor/analyses/hspm/slovenia-2022/whole-system-health-reform-preparation-formally-launched-in-slovenia). This move indicated that the Prime Minister wanted to play an active role in the process.
Meanwhile, the Minister was scarcely attending SC sessions and acted “solo” at least twice thereafter. First, despite a SC subcommittee preparing a comprehensive reform of health care financing, the Minister moved quickly to present the abolishment of the complementary health insurance, with members of the SC learning about this move only from the media. Abolishment of complementary health insurance was a cornerstone commitment of the coalition agreement regarding health and health care, and triggered by the threat of increasing premiums announced by the complementary health insurance companies, the Minister’s proposal was swiftly presented and adopted within two months.
Second, the MoH presented the proposal of the Digitalisation Act. This important Act introduces several significant changes to the current system of health reporting and data management and appoints a private company for its overall management (see “Whole-system Health Reform preparation formally launched in Slovenia” https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/monitors/health-systems-monitor/analyses/hspm/slovenia-2022/whole-system-health-reform-preparation-formally-launched-in-slovenia). However, it received a negative opinion of the Information Commissioner, who basically declared its core in breach of data privacy, exposure of sensitive data to a private environment without clear supervision of the MoH and the creation of extensive national databases with numerous linkages and numerous responsible entities, undermining transparency. The Act has consequently been withdrawn and a new version is to be prepared.
The Minister’s resignation was presented at a moment that was important for some legislation proposals to be passed, and it was the result of significant pressure from coalition parties, the public and the Prime Minister. It was received as a positive move by a large part of the political spectrum and was not unexpected. Interestingly, the Medical Chamber was one of the few stakeholders expressing their concerns because the resignation would have a negative impact on the negotiations on salary reform for doctors as well as a significant slowdown on the course of the key health reforms.
The Prime Minister is now acting Minister and has appointed two new State Secretaries, Marjan Pintar, director of the Association of Public Health Care Providers, and Valentina Prevolnik Rupel, a health economist at the Institute of Economic Research, who served also as a member of the SC. In August 2023, the new team presented a “Directions of health policy for the years 2024–2025”, which is currently being discussed among health policy stakeholders. The appointment of the new Minister is expected to take place in October 2023.