site.btaOver BGN 306 Mln Budget Deficit for Hospitals in November

In the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for November, there is a deficit of over BGN 306 million for hospitals, Ganka Avramova, Director of the Budget and Financial Parameters Directorate at the NHIF, told journalists after a meeting of the Fund's Supervisory Board. There is also a deficit  of funds for medicines for home treatment, a little over BGN 36 million, and for medical devices used in hospitals, nearly BGN 12 million. 

Avramova said that due to the shortage of drugs for home treatment and for medical devices in hospital care, money will be taken from the NHIF reserve. More than BGN 21 million have already been taken out, with this money used to pay the pharmacies for the fulfillment of prescriptions p+of medicines fully paid for by the health fund.

A decision on the looming financial deficit for hospitals in November will be made at the end of October, Avramova also said, adding that the BGN 306 million will be taken from the National Health Insurance Fund's reserve, from over-execution of collected health insurance contributions and possibly from funds left over from budget outlays with funds in other countries, which will provide BGN 45 million.

In comparisons with the same period last year, the number of hospitalizations is increasing, Avramova said in response to a question about the reason for the lack of funds for hospitals. She pointed out  that when comparing the period September 1-30, 2023 and September 1-30, 2024, about 116,000 more hospitalizations were reported, as well as a larger volume of activities performed by hospitals in outpatient settings.

There will be upcoming meetings between the Supervisory Board and the Bulgarian Medical Association on the matter of overspending in hospital care. According to the National Framework Agreement 2023-2025, in the case of an overspend of more than 3%, the two sides must take actions for an annex to reduce the prices of clinical pathways, Avramova recalled. After the meetings, the Board of Supervisors would have to decide on compensating the funds for hospital aid, because if the volumes produced above their estimated budgets are not paid for nine months, the hospitals can file lawsuits.

Avramova added that in order to prevent the NHIF from falling into a situation of simultaneously filed lawsuits for a large value, the Supervisory Board adopted a principled decision omn Tuesday that by the end of the year it will begin to pay the over-limit values ​​in stages.