site.btaMedical Organizations, Health Insurance Fund Sign Framework Agreement

Sofia, February 28 (BTA) - Medical organizations in healthcare and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) on Wednesday signed the 2018 National Framework Agreement, which sets the price of medical services.

The document was signed by the chairs and members of the managing boards of the Bulgarian Medical Association and the Bulgarian Dental Association, the deputy governor of the National Health Insurance Fund, the members of NHIF's Supervisory Board and Health Minister Kiril Ananiev.

The agreement will take effect on April 1. The deadline for its signing expired on Wednesday, as NHIF's Supervisory Board delayed its decision. The medical organizations were concerned that the aim was to first cover overdue payments owed to hospitals in Europe for the treatment of Bulgarian citizens.

The National Framework Agreement was signed after a meeting of representatives of the Bulgarian Medical Association, the Bulgarian Dental Association, NHIF, and the Health Ministry with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov.

At the meeting the Prime Minister urged medics to oversee how healthcare funds are spent. Borissov said: "I want us to be on the same team so that people are able to feel the effects."

Under the new framework agreement funds for various medical services will be increased by nearly 150 million leva.