National Health Insurance Fund

In a dramatic turn of events in the Bulgarian Parliament, the resignation of Stanimir Mihailov, the manager of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), was unexpectedly accepted, despite Mihailov having withdrawn it prior. The decision sparked outcry among parliamentary groups, with Kiril Petkov of "We Continue the Change" party labeling the move as reminiscent of a dictatorship.

This morning, The Confederation of Labour Podkrepa and The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria from State Management and Organizations within the National Security Council are organizing a protest demonstration in front of the Council of Ministers. The event is set to commence at 9:30 a.m.

The Ministry of Finance has disclosed its affirmative stance on allocating resources for covering the entire cost of 56 drugs targeting cardiovascular diseases, such as those addressing hypertension, arrhythmia, and other frequently occurring chronic ailments. The co-payment will be lowered for more than 300 medications.

Dr. Gergana Nikolova from the Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA) commented on BNT that the importance of the changes and the significance of preventive check-ups lie not only in prevention but also in the opportunity to increase access to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for the detection of more serious diseases in early stages.

The National Assembly has given its nod to crucial financial amendments and budgets for the upcoming year, introducing significant changes to social security and health insurance provisions.

The National Assembly achieved a significant milestone on Monday as it greenlit the 2024 National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Budget Bill on its second reading. This crucial legislation outlines the financial blueprint for the NHIF in the coming year.

An extraordinary session in the Bulgarian Parliament took a tumultuous turn as members of the pro-Russian party "Vazrazhdane" party sought to disrupt proceedings, sparking turmoil within the debating chamber. The session, primarily focused on critical energy-related amendments, was marred by dramatic interruptions and attempts to silence discussions by shutting down the sound system.

The Governor and Deputy Governor of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), Stanimir Mihaylov and Prof Momchil Mavrov, have submitted their resignations to the National Assembly, confirmed by Parliament's press centre following a joint briefing by GERB leader Boyko Borissov, Democratic Bulgaria co-chair Hristo Ivanov, and We Continue the Change co-chair Asen Vassilev.

GERB leader Boyko Borissov, along with Democratic Bulgaria co-chair Hristo Ivanov and We Continue the Change co-chair Asen Vassilev, jointly announced their intention to request the resignation of the Governor and Deputy Governor of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov raised concerns regarding the recent appointment of Momchil Mavrov as Deputy Governor of the National Health Insurance Fund, citing violations of key principles and alleged lobbying.