Health Insurance Fund

As the clock ticks towards the deadline, several Bulgarian municipalities, including Razgrad, Smolyan, and Targovishte, grapple with a scarcity of general practitioners (GPs). According to the Health Insurance Fund's website, today marks the final chance this year for citizens to switch their GP.

BELGRADE - The Serbian government has sent 105 t of aid to the quake-hit population of Syria.

The aid shipment, worth around 1 mln euros, consists of medicines, medical equipment and supplies, food, tents, power generators, blankets, toiletries and other supplies needed by the population, the government said in a statement.

"Many of the policies set out in the coalition agreement cannot be valued in this budget because of the short time. But we plan an update in the middle of the year that will include everything.

Last week, the supervisory board of the National Health Insurance Fund decided that general practitioners could prescribe free medicines to treat patients with COVID-19.

Prescriptions will be electronic, but only health insured patients will be able to use them. Until now, such free prescriptions could only be prescribed by medics in the Covid Zone.

The draft update of the state budget, proposed by the caretaker government passed in the Budget parliamentary committee.

As already announced, the update envisages that by the end of the year the budget will receive BGN 2.1 billion more than the planned revenues, of which BGN 1.8 billion are provided for more expenditures.

The Sofia-based Pirogov Hospital for emergency treatment must return to the National Health Insurance Fund nearly 1 million and 37 thousand BGN /530 thousand euros/ due to violations established during an inspection in the medical institution for the period May 28-July 10, the press center of the Fund announced.

The change in the financing of health care should start in the first place with the abolition of the monopoly of the National Health Insurance Fund in order to create competition for health insurers.

This is the fastest way to reach fair market prices for medical services. If there is no agreement, the prices of medical services can be adjusted in the conditions of a monopoly.

The management of Lozenets University Hospital (aka former Governmental Hospital)will be replaced because of multiple abuses, revealed caretaker Minister of Health Dr. Stoycho Katsarov at a briefing at the Council of Ministers. He pointed out that the health institution had "syphoned off the National Health Insurance Fund and performed illegal transplantations.

The Bulgarian Medical Association and the Health Insurance Fund have signed National Framework Agreement for 2020 - 2022. According to it, at least 50% of revenues of the medical establishments will go for salaries. The step was made by Healthcare Minister Kiril Ananiev in talks with protesting nurses. The new rule would also apply to private hospitals.

The national summer antiaids campaign strated on August 15. It will run until September 15. The campaign is being implemented in connection with the implementation of the "National Programme for Prevention and Control of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections 2017-2020" and will cover the whole country, BNT reported