site.btaEmployers' Association Concerned with Healthcare Policy

Employers' Association Concerned with Healthcare Policy

Sofia, April 30 (BTA) - In an open letter that reached BTA on
Thursday, the members of the Confederation of Employers and
Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG) voiced concern with the
health policy that is being conducted, the changes unveiled by
Peter Moskov's Ministry and the way they are formulated.

"Since the Government took office, we have been witnessing daily
conflicting statements, unsubstantiated by economic and
financial analyses and legal arguments, on the part of the
Health Ministry team, and in particular of Minister Moskov," the
letter reads.

The CEIBG members are concerned about the plans to divide health
services into a core and supplementary package which, in their
opinion, will lead to an increase of companies' costs of health
services, as employees will be compelled to make additional
payments without benefiting from their rights as health insured.
"Even if the idea is good, it was not made clear to the public,
nor was it backed by a forecast of its impact," the
organization argues.

"The latest and, for the time being, only direct action taken by
the Health Minister is particularly worrisome: the dismissal
without justification of the director of one of the best
functioning State-owned hospitals, Dr Decho Dechev of the Sveti
Ivan Rilski Hospital," the letter reads. CEIBG points out that
"this lynching of a successful manager" "sends a message
suggesting autocracy, personal account squaring and even lack of
political professionalism."

The organization points out that the Health Ministry will
achieve agreement on the reform only if it engages in a dialogue
with all stakeholders, clarifies in detail the proposals, and
seeks public consensus.