Polish government throws lifeline to hospital suppliers:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Suppliers of healthcare products to Polish hospitals whose invoices sometimes remain long unpaid may soon derive commercial relief from a new healthcare law. The law, in preparation, will allow hospitals to negotiate with creditors in much the same way as commercial companies, meaning that suppliers should not have to wait so long for payment despite the financial difficulties of the hospitals. But there will be no easy way out for hospitals with the heavy debts, however, which will need to be restructured. The public healthcare budget is in debt to the tune of Zl5-6bn ($1,238-1,485m) despite the state treasury having taken over Zl7bn worth of hospital debts in 1999.