public hospitals are back to protest and demand to increase their budget base by NIS 1.2 billion a year

Although they signed an agreement with the Ministry of Finance just over a month ago, public hospitals are back to take protest measures. Hospital administrators announced today a press conference to be held tomorrow (Monday) at 10:00 in front of the Ministry of Finance, where they intend to declare "unprecedented" protest measures, as they define them. Following this, Finance Minister Israel Katz summoned the principals to an urgent meeting tonight.
Public hospital administrators claim that despite the agreement, they suffer from budgetary uncertainty. The Ministry of Finance rejects the claims of the hospital directors, saying that the state complies with all the agreements with them. "This is an illegitimate snatch to register another achievement before the election," say sources in the Ministry of Finance.
The struggle with the seven public hospitals concerned their demand to increase their budget base by NIS 1.2 billion a year. At the end of January, the parties agreed on a one-time addition of NIS 960 million to their budget. According to the agreement, between January and June, the hospitals will be budgeted for at least NIS 630 million (NIS 300 million in ongoing support, provided that the hospitals pass the support tests, and NIS 330 million for support for the corona). At the same time, if the corona continues after June, and the hospital is required to continue to hold biological sorting and corona wards - the hospitals will continue to receive NIS 55 million in support until December.
According to the Ministry of Finance, support tests in the amount of more than NIS 450 million have been approved so far, out of NIS 630 million, and advances of more than NIS 160 million have already been paid. That is, the state complies with all agreements.
On the other hand, hospital directors claim that the Ministry of Finance is not willing to commit to a budget beyond June - contrary to agreements. In addition, they claim that the Treasury has had to transfer NIS 210 million so far - about NIS 50 million more than it actually spent. Hospital administrators also claim that the Treasury is hardening its stance when it comes to support tests.
According to managers, without budgetary certainty, hospitals will not be able to pay suppliers and employees. In the previous round of protests, the hospitals operated in an emergency format, and among other things, ordered that ambulances not be referred to them. As stated, tonight the hospital administrators are scheduled to meet with Katz, and accordingly it will be decided whether the protest measures will continue.