Bulgarian Doctors' Union opposes NHIF's healthcare budgetary strategy

2010-08-19

The Bulgarian Doctors' Union (BDU) on an extraordinary national assembly held on 10 August recommended hospital directors file lawsuits against the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for the NHIF's new healthcare financing strategy which, in opinion of BDU, will lead to a 30% drop in hospital budgets.
Since July, the NHIF has introduced limits on hospital budgets and pays health establishments a fixed monthly amount rather than reimbursing all procedures preformed each month. In justifying its decision, the Fund referred to increasing rates of hospitalisation and its concerns over shortages in its 2010 budget. BDU has defied the decision, arguing that the monthly fixed budget for hospital treatment is against the law. Moreover, it expects the change to lead to the accumulation of hospital debts and to be detrimental to patients’ interests, causing them to wait longer for hospital treatment. BDU also announced that hospitals nationwide will begin protests against the NHIF in September.