The National Tender for Prospective Programmes in Slovenia

Abstract

In recent years, total health expenditure in Slovenia has grown, reaching 9.3 per cent of GDP in 2009 (WHO 2011). This trend is expected to continue in the future as Slovenia's population is ageing, complex chronic illnesses are becoming more common, and patient expectations are rising; factors that drive up the demand for health services. This growing demand, however, is becoming more difficult to meet with a health insurance system based on contributions from the working population. Financial constraints are especially acute in the current economic crisis, which has been followed by increasing unemployment and efforts to cut down government spending. In some countries, such as the United States, expenditure on nearly all medical goods and services has slowed to increase or declined as a result of the economic crisis, with the slowest rise in national health expenditure in the United States in 50 years (Pugh 2011).