site.btaMedical Association and Health Insurance Fund Sign Annex to Framework Agreement

August 14 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA) and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) signed an annex to the National Framework Agreement, Health Minister Kostadin Angelov told journalists on Friday. Over 350 hospitals received a 10 per cent increase in the prices of all clinical pathways, effective August 1.

All medical service prices in primary out-patient care rose by an average of 10 per cent as well. The same applies to the payments per patient served. In specialized out-patient care, the prices of initial and follow-up medical checkups went up by about the same margin, and volumes of work also increased.

Dental care prices, except for those of prostheses, were upped by an average of 10 per cent too, effective September 1.

The same rate of increase was approved for the payments which pharmacies receive for processing prescriptions that are 100 per cent covered by health insurance.

BMA President Ivan Madzharov said the NHIF Supervisory Board decided to use money saved from the NHIF budget to begin paying hospitals for over-the-limit services.

An annex on dental care services was also signed. Bulgarian Dental Association President Nikolai Sharkov said that the 10 per cent price increase for all dental care services marks a pivotal moment as it will be used to raise wages and improve service standards.

Up to 126 million leva will be provided to the NHIF to cover the agreed costs by the end of this year.

NHIF Supervisory Board Chair Zheni Nacheva said the medical services which have been rendered but remain unpaid by the NHIF since 2015 will be checked, and the analysis will be completed by the beginning of October.

For now there is no need to update the NHIF budget, Nacheva said. A system for daily electronic accounting for the work of personal physicians will be tested in September and October, and should go into operation in January. RI/VE
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