For problems with the ears, nose or throat, the first step is to visit the general practitioner. The GP performs an examination, takes the patient’s medical history and assesses whether the patient should be referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist. This was explained by Zdravka Nikova, chief expert at the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), in the “Your Health Rights” segment of the “Pulse” programme on NOVA NEWS.
“The GP will perform an examination and take the patient’s medical history. Based on this examination, at the GP’s discretion and when necessary, they will issue a referral to the relevant specialist, or in this particular case—to an ENT specialist,” Nikova said.
What the patient pays for the consultation
When a patient is referred for a specialist consultation with Referral Form No. 3, the consultation itself is covered by the NHIF. The insured person owes a user fee of €1.48, while pensioners pay €0.51.
No fee is owed by people who fall into the categories exempt from the user fee. “The insured person owes only the user fee, unless they fall into a category exempt from it,” Zdravka Nikova explained.
Foreign body removal is also covered
The NHIF also covers the removal of a foreign body from the ear canal when the patient is referred to a specialist with Referral Form No. 3. In this case, there is no charge for the specialised procedure itself.
“The removal of a foreign body from the ear canal falls within the group of specialised procedures, and the patient should not have to pay for it,” the expert said. According to NHIF data, the ENT care package also includes the removal of a foreign body from the nose.
Source: nova.bg