The National Health Insurance Fund budget was not changed in 2023. The reason for this is that Galab Donev’s caretaker government has elected to extend the 2022 State Budget, which clearly does not stipulate sufficient funds to support healthcare in providing high quality health services, satisfactory to all stakeholders.
The Bulgarian Medical Association continues insisting on an increase in amounts for clinical pathways. For their part, employers have expressed support for the extended budget, while trade unions have remained opposed to it. The Confederation of Labor Podkrepa strongly supports additional funding by the state to guarantee high quality of medical care in Bulgaria. Another one of their demands is increase in salary ranges in the Regional Health Inspectorates and ERs.
Talks on increasing the sums for clinical pathways have been ongoing, but as the chair of the Bulgarian Medical Association has stated at the end of 2022 – they have been rather melancholic. No new budget for the National Health Insurance Fund means the talks between BMA and NHIF about the new three-year National Framework Agreement will also continue to stall.
One thing is clear, though. National political instability and absence of an elected government is definitely having an impact on the healthcare sector; but of course with all the mandatory New Year wishes for healthy life.
