The Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) reported on Monday that the rate of temporary incapacity for work fell by 10.7% last year. Health insurance inspectors have imposed 1,820 measures due to irregularities found.

HZZO inspectors carried out over 11,900 inspections at contracted entities, most of them at the primary healthcare level, while 201 inspections were carried out at the secondary and tertiary healthcare and healthcare facility level.

In addition, 41 inspections were carried out at suppliers of orthopaedic and other aids, the HZZO announced on Monday after the board meeting.

No irregularities were found in 85% of all inspections carried out, while inspectors took 1,820 actions against the contracting entities in 15 of the inspections. These measures included 1,166 warnings, 420 warnings with compensation, 198 warnings with fines, 26 warnings with fines and compensation, eight warnings with fines that led to contract cancellation and two initiated contract cancellation proceedings.

A total of 28,844 insured persons or personal health records were checked during the temporary incapacity for work checks, which meant that the medical indication for the use of temporary incapacity for work was no longer given in 28% of the cases checked.

The overall rate of temporary incapacity for work from January to December 2023 was 3.68, with 1.86 on the employer’s account and 1.82 on the HZZO’s account. In the same period in 2022, the overall temporary incapacity rate was 4.12, with 2.17 on the employer’s account and 1.95 on the fund’s account.

The data presented shows that the overall temporary incapacity rate fell by 10.7 last year compared to the same period in 2022, with the temporary incapacity rate on the employer’s account falling by 14.3% and on the HZZO account by 6.7%.