site.btaUPDATED Pharmacies Will Receive 15% of Dispensed Medicines' Price - Health Fund

The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union (BPhU) have reached an agreement on the payment models for pharmacies, said Tuesday NHIF interim Director Momchil Mavrov. Pharmacies will receive 15% of the price of the dispensed medicines. The maximum reimbursement is BGN 25 per medicine, Mavrov added.

The decision enters into force retroactively from July 1, 2024 and will cover a total of 11 pharmacies' reporting periods, which are at 15-day intervals, Mavrov said. He added that the new way of reimbursing pharmacies has nothing to do with the changes in Regulation 4, which mostly concern patients and their access to drug therapy and medicinal products. There is also no change in the case of protocol medicines, such as insulin, and they will be dispensed as before, NHIF interim head noted.

According to Mavrov, the new way of financing pharmacies is fairer and more sustainable. When asked how much money would be needed, he replied that this could not be predicted yet, but the NHIF is expected to save significant financial resources.

“There may be some delay in payment but taking into account that we have reached an agreement with the BPhU, I believe that even if there is a delay, it will not be significant”, Mavrov said.

BPhU President Dimitar Marinov confirmed the agreement. He said that pharmacies had stopped filing applications to terminate their cooperation with the NHIF when they realized that dialogue had resumed. Marinov also described the payment method as fair and predictable. In his words, the amendments to the Health Insurance Act put up for public discussion, which practically liquidate the negotiation between the NHIF and the BPhU, are inadequate.

A meeting was held earlier on Tuesday with BPhU representatives, at which a final decision on the payment of pharmacies was taken. The meeting comes after protest actions by pharmacies on July 4.