ON
← Back to feed
Health under new measures: almost 16 000 patients to gain better access to services
Slovenia🏛️ PoliticsCenter8/31/2026

Health under new measures: almost 16 000 patients to gain better access to services

The Slovenian Ministry of Health, led by Minister Tadej Ostrc, has announced new measures aimed at improving access to healthcare services. These include additional orthopedic procedures, more MRI and PET-CT scans, expansion of primary care services, and nearly 470 new positions in nursing homes. The reforms seek to optimize existing resources and reduce waiting times for patients. According to estimates, these changes could improve access for approximately 16,000 insured individuals. One significant change involves paying for orthopedic procedures after they are completed within the entire public healthcare network. Data indicates a decrease in orthopedic services performed compared to the same period last year, with an increase in people waiting for such treatments. The ministry expects this reform to encourage providers to perform more procedures, potentially adding at least 700 additional orthopedic interventions by the end of the year. Additionally, there is a focus on strengthening primary healthcare levels, which Minister Ostrc emphasizes as the foundation of the healthcare system. This includes expanding family medicine clinics in several municipalities and enhancing other婦

The government has announced new measures aimed at improving access to healthcare services for nearly 16,000 individuals. These changes, introduced by Health Minister Tadej Ostrc, involve amendments to the regulations governing mandatory health insurance programs. The reforms seek to redirect financial resources and medical capacities toward areas with the greatest patient demand. According to officials, these adjustments will enhance access for approximately 16,000 insured individuals, with an additional financial impact of 13.8 million euros. Importantly, the ministry states that no additional funds from the state budget will be required to implement these changes. Among the key modifications is the introduction of payment for orthopedic procedures based on actual performance within the entire public healthcare network, including both public institutions and concessionaires. In the first five months of this year, there was an 8.3 percent decrease in the number of orthopedic procedures compared to the same period last year, with the number of waiting patients increasing by 633. Officials expect that by the end of the year, at least 700 additional orthopedic procedures will be performed. This change aims to address the backlog and improve service availability for patients. The revised regulation also expands primary care programs, providing additional capacity to family medicine clinics, women’s dispensaries, physiotherapy units, and pediatric psychiatry departments. The expansion of family medicine clinics is expected to enable the treatment of approximately 3,000 more insured individuals. Additionally, funding has been secured for 3,500 additional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations at the Maribor Health Center and 1,800 positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scans at the Ljubljana Oncology Institute. These enhancements aim to increase diagnostic capabilities and support specialized treatments. The reform includes improved evaluation methods for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedures, which allow for valve replacement without open-heart surgery. It also provides funding for approximately 470 additional beds in elderly care homes. Ostrc explained that the operation of the health fund in the first half of the year was better than planned, leading to the reallocation of available funds towards additional services for patients. This shift reflects a strategic adjustment to optimize resource utilization based on current operational outcomes. In addition, the ministry has prepared a draft law establishing a national fund for financing advanced treatments for rare childhood diseases. The fund would cover treatments already available abroad but not yet accessible domestically. Potential sources of funding include existing tax inflows, voluntary contributions from the private sector, tax-deductible donations, and European Union funds. Ostrc emphasized that the establishment of the fund does not include plans for introducing a new tax, and the draft must still be aligned with the Ministry of Finance and coalition partners before final approval. The recent regulatory changes mark the end of a policy implemented by the previous government under Prime Minister Robert Golob, which had limited payments for certain orthopedic procedures to concessionaires. That policy restricted reimbursement for specific surgeries such as arthroscopy of the shoulder, spinal operations, hallux valgus correction, and joint replacements. This restriction led to cancellations of scheduled procedures and estimates of thousands fewer operations. The new legislation reverses this approach, allowing payments for orthopedic procedures based on actual completion across the entire public healthcare network. This change aligns with efforts to restore trust between healthcare providers and the administration, following criticisms of Golob's management style.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 3 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

Responsible editor: Matej BašaSpotted an error? Report it

Go to the primary sources (1)

The official sources this coverage is built on. Read them directly to bypass framing.

3 reports

Nova24TV logoNova24TVParty-alignedCenterFactual 100Objective 908/28/2026
Ending the War on Doctors and Dealers

The Slovenian government has passed a new regulation for mandatory health insurance programs for 2026, which removes previous restrictions on payments for orthopedic procedures by private healthcare providers (koncesionarji). The change allows payment based on the actual number of procedures performed across the entire public healthcare network, including both public institutions and private providers. This aims to increase accessibility and address issues caused by prior limitations under the previous Golob government, which had restricted payments for certain orthopedic surgeries at private clinics. These restrictions led to cancellations of already booked procedures and fewer operations overall. The new regulation also includes improvements in evaluating TAVI procedures, expanding health programs at primary care levels, increasing diagnostic capacity, and funding 468 additional positions in elderly care homes.

Bias read (Center): The article presents factual changes to healthcare regulations without overtly favoring any political side. It describes the removal of restrictions imposed by the previous government and does not take a clear stance on whether this was positive or negative. The tone remains neutral, focusing on the

Why factuality (100): This article precisely reflects the content of the primary source document, including the removal of previous restrictions on payments for orthopedic procedures at concessionaires, the introduction of payment based on actual performance, and the inclusion of expanded diagnostic capabilities and elde

Why objectivity (90): The article maintains an objective tone throughout, presenting facts without editorializing or taking sides. It clearly outlines both the previous policy under Golob’s government and the current changes, avoiding any biased language or subjective interpretation.

Domovina logoDomovinaIndependentCenterFactual 95Objective 908/31/2026
Health under new measures: almost 16 000 patients to gain better access to services

The Slovenian Ministry of Health, led by Minister Tadej Ostrc, has announced new measures aimed at improving access to healthcare services. These include additional orthopedic procedures, more MRI and PET-CT scans, expansion of primary care services, and nearly 470 new positions in nursing homes. The reforms seek to optimize existing resources and reduce waiting times for patients. According to estimates, these changes could improve access for approximately 16,000 insured individuals. One significant change involves paying for orthopedic procedures after they are completed within the entire public healthcare network. Data indicates a decrease in orthopedic services performed compared to the same period last year, with an increase in people waiting for such treatments. The ministry expects this reform to encourage providers to perform more procedures, potentially adding at least 700 additional orthopedic interventions by the end of the year. Additionally, there is a focus on strengthening primary healthcare levels, which Minister Ostrc emphasizes as the foundation of the healthcare system. This includes expanding family medicine clinics in several municipalities and enhancing other婦

Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced overview of proposed healthcare reforms, focusing on their goals, expected outcomes, and implementation strategies. It cites official statements from the Minister of Health and provides data from the ministry, without apparent ideological framing or biased language.

Why factuality (95): The article accurately reports the new regulation allowing payment for orthopedic procedures based on actual performance in the public healthcare network, including concessions. It also mentions the expansion of diagnostic services and additional places in elderly care homes, aligning closely with t

Why objectivity (90): The article presents the information in a largely neutral tone, focusing on the policy changes and their potential benefits. However, it does include some evaluative language such as 'key change' and 'important move,' which slightly lean toward a positive framing of the policy.

Zanima.me logoZanima.meIndependentCenterFactual 95Objective 858/28/2026
New measures aim to improve access to health services for almost 16,000 people

The Slovenian Ministry of Health, led by Minister Tadej Ostrc, has introduced amendments to the regulations governing mandatory health insurance programs. These changes aim to redirect resources toward areas where patient needs are most urgent, potentially improving access to healthcare for nearly 16,000 insured individuals. The reforms include increased funding for orthopedic procedures, expanded services at primary care levels such as family medicine clinics, women’s dispensaries, physiotherapy, and pediatric psychiatry, as well as additional MRI scans and PET-CT exams. The measures also involve improved evaluation of TAVI procedures and financial support for advanced treatments for rare childhood diseases. The ministry reports that healthcare revenue was better than expected in the first half of the year, allowing for additional services. An outline for a state fund to finance cutting-edge treatments for rare children's illnesses is also being prepared.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the government's proposed healthcare reforms without overtly praising or criticizing them. It provides factual information about the scope and potential impact of the changes, citing official estimates and ministerial statements. While the topic is politically charged due to its

Why factuality (95): The article accurately reports the new regulation allowing payment for orthopedic procedures based on actual performance in the entire public healthcare network, including concessionaires. It also mentions the expansion of primary care programs, MRI scans at Maribor Health House, and funding for 468

Why objectivity (85): The article presents the changes in a generally neutral tone but includes a slight positive framing by emphasizing the improvement in access to healthcare services and the financial impact of the reforms. However, it avoids overt bias or emotional language.

How each side covered it

The same event, grouped by the political lean of the outlets covering it.

How each side covered it

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Covered around the world

The same event as reported in other countries.

Covered around the world

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Claims check

Key factual claims, and how many sources assert vs dispute each.

Claims check

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Keep the news honest.

ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.

Become a Supporter

Related stories