The Supervisory Board of the National Health Insurance Fund will review the draft Law on the NHIF Budget for 2027. The draft is the third item on the agenda of the meeting. Before that, the board is due to discuss changes to the internal allocation of funds for 2026 and an updated monthly distribution of the budget, as well as the requirements for diagnoses for which an expert assessment is required.
The total amount of revenues and expenditures in the draft budget is €5.684 billion. This is an increase of €426.9 million, or 8.1%, compared with the 2026 budget. A total of €5.411 billion has been earmarked for health insurance payments, representing an increase of €478.1 million.
More funding for hospitals, medicines and preventive care
The largest expenditure items once again are hospital care and medicinal products. A total of €2.562 billion has been allocated for hospital medical care, or nearly €220 million more than in the current budget. €1.454 billion has been earmarked for medicines, medical devices and dietary foods for home treatment, an increase of €120.1 million.
For outpatient care, €362.9 million is planned for primary medical care and €368.8 million for specialised medical care. A total of €176.7 million has been allocated for medical diagnostic activities, while €242.6 million is earmarked for dental care. The draft also includes an additional €8 million for preventive activities.
A total of €44.76 million is planned for medical and other services related to the treatment of children and adults abroad. €26.12 million has been allocated for assistive devices, adaptations and medical devices for people with disabilities.
Change in funding
The draft proposes that some of the activities previously financed through transfers from the Ministry of Health should switch to direct funding from health insurance contributions. Therefore, transfers from the Ministry of Health to the NHIF are expected to decrease from €101.49 million in 2026 to €32.74 million in 2027.
The draft’s explanatory memorandum states: “The transition to direct funding from the NHIF budget will facilitate and support the NHIF’s oversight.” The activities for which a new funding arrangement is envisaged include treatment abroad and assistive devices for insured people with disabilities.
After being reviewed by the Supervisory Board, the draft must proceed through the budget procedure. The next steps are coordination within the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation, approval by the Council of Ministers and debate in the National Assembly.
Sources: healthcaremagazine.bg, zdrave.net