Crnkić: Over a Million Days of Illegal Sick Leave Halted

Kenan Crnkić, director of the Health Insurance Institute of Sarajevo Canton who has held this position for one year, presented the results of his work so far today, reports the Patria news agency.

Crnkić noted that he is doing this because, upon assuming the mandate, he promised to transparently provide the public with insight into the work, operations, status, and prospects of the Institute, as well as the entire healthcare system of Sarajevo Canton and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- As you are aware, upon assuming the position of director, I found the Institute with a business loss in the amount of 14 million KM! There was a complete depletion of reserve funds that the Institute is obligated to have as coverage for unforeseen expenses in the event of emergencies in healthcare, and thus additional security in terms of stability of financing the healthcare system and the health of citizens – said Crnkić.

He added that a whole series of extremely negative trends were reflected in a short-term liquidity problem, which jeopardized salaries and the timely financing of basic insured rights, as well as a long-term solvency problem that called into question the very existence of the entire system!

- Through a whole series of professional, carefully designed, energetic, and above all concrete measures within the Institute's competence, we managed in record time to achieve an entirely positive business result based on revenues and receipts in the amount of over 20 million KM! We have completely remedied the inherited loss of 14 million KM. The remaining funds were used to fill the mandatory reserve to the legally prescribed level, thereby further securing and stabilizing healthcare financing. According to the final account, the reported net result is 13.1 million KM – added Crnkić.

He further noted that healthcare institutions are again regularly financed without delays, and salaries for over 7,500 healthcare workers are secured, which are now paid no later than the 5th of the month. On this basis, the Institute paid 159.2 million KM in 2014, or an average of 13.2 million KM per month.

- Thanks to control and rationalization measures, as well as the suppression of observed irregularities in the use of sick leave rights, we managed to stop the rising trend of these costs and achieve significant savings of 1.3 million KM. Over a million days of illegal or unjustified sick leave have been halted, all with the aim of rational use of funds, so that those who truly need them can exercise these rights in the long term. A dual effect was achieved here, as economic entities were additionally relieved of unnecessary payments – added Crnkić, emphasizing that three Emergency Medical Service points were opened in Hadžići, Ilijaš, and Vogošća within a year.