Economic Results of Health Insurance Companies
Commentary | Contents |
The number of active units operating in the area of health insurance was the same in the second quarter of 2004 as in the corresponding quarter of 2003 - there were a total of nine health insurance companies operating in the CR.
Accrual-based insurance premiums written amounted to CZK 30.3 billion in the second quarter of 2004, rising by 5.3% on the corresponding period of the previous year 2003. However, these measured premiums written do not show actual revenues of health insurance companies, as these are lower by the premiums unpaid. The actual incomes of the health insurance companies – i.e. the collection of premiums including payments for the insured whose premiums are paid by the state – totalled CZK 79 billion in the first half of 2004. This translates into an increase of 8.4% on the incomes (CZK 72.9 billion) reached in the corresponding period of 2003 (source: the Ministry of Health of the CR, from results of the 1st to 6th redistributions of general health insurance premiums in 2004 and 2003). The incomes of the health insurance companies for this period cannot be compared year-on-year because in the 1st quarter of 2004 there was a change in the frequency of payments by the state for its insurants (returnable financial assistance – “advanced payment” – from the state budget within the meaning of Act No. 592/1992 Coll., Article 12(2)) amounting to CZK 2.7 billion. The 1st quarter of 2004 also saw a change in the frequency of payments by the state – it amounted to CZK 2.8 billion. These resources will be redeemed in the fourth quarter of 2004. Furthermore, in the first half of 2004, the system started receiving outstanding premium incomes from the Czech Consolidation Agency (CZK 1.4 billion in total). If the “advanced payment “ had not been provided in the two halves of the years compared, and without the outstanding premium incomes, the incomes from the collection of premiums including the payment by the state would have risen by 6.6% year-on-year.
Total costs (including contractual health insurance) spent by health insurance companies on health care over in the second quarter of 2004 accounted for 93.9 %, their volume rising by 3.6 % year-on-year.
In the second quarter of 2004, the health insurance companies employed a total of 7 116 persons (f/t equivalent) – an increase of 0.4% year-on-year (7 085 persons in the 2st quarter of 2003). The average monthly wage (calculated for the employment figures above and exclusive of other personnel costs) increased from CZK 22 576 in the second quarter of 2003 to CZK 23 418 in the second quarter of 2004, thus growing by 3.7% year-on-year.
In the second quarter of 2004, the health insurance companies acquired intangible and tangible (incl. land) fixed assets worth 17.3 million CZK and 235.5 million CZK, respectively.
The balance sum of health insurance companies (the sum of assets or liabilities) reached CZK 50.3 billion at the close of the second quarter of 2004 rising by CZK 0.6 billion on the end of 2003. The acquisition value of (depreciated) gross tangible and intangible assets – net of the health insurance companies was CZK 19 million down on the end of 2003.