Health Ministry Backs Calls for Increase in Prices of Medical Activities

The Ministry of Health supports the demands of the Bulgarian Medical Association for an increase in the prices of medical activities caretaker Health Minister Mihail Okoliyski said in Lovech on April 9.

He noted, however, that everything will depend on negotiations which the professional organisation should conduct with the National Health Insurance Fund.

The association and the hospitals continue to insist on signing an annex with the Health Insurance Fund to the National Framework Contract to increase the prices of medical activities by 25%.

The Medical Association is calling for an urgent update of the prices of medical services paid by the Health Insurance Fund.

The Ministry of Health can only act as a mediator in the negotiations, Associate Professor Okoliyski explained.

“Of course, the Ministry of Health stands behind all lawful demands of both doctors and patients for better funding and better care, but this must be initiated in the legally prescribed manner,” he said.

Associate Professor Okoliyski added that this is a process that takes place between hospitals, the Medical Association and the National Health Insurance Fund.

Mihail Okoliyski, Caretaker Minister of Health: “Such a dialogue and negotiations should be initiated for the creation of an annex to the National Framework Contract. The Ministry of Health, as a mediator or as an institution on which the quality and processes in healthcare depend, will partner in every possible way. You should ask the contractual partners why this process has not started, given that they want it to happen. Another issue is that there is currently no adopted budget that would allow for this 25% increase in clinical pathways.”

He also commented on whether this would affect the financial situation of hospitals.

Mihail Okoliyski, Catretaker Minister of Health: “I hope that hospitals do not believe these problems can be solved with a magic wand. In my view, when a new government is formed, one of its first tasks will be to address these issues, because people must have access to good healthcare.”

The caretaker minister took part in a roundtable on mental health issues in Lovech and opened a new sports ground in the courtyard of the State Psychiatric Hospital in the city.

Source: BNR