The user fee for a GP should be 3.90 leva, and for pensioners 2 leva by the end of 2025. This is proposed by the National Association of General Practitioners in Bulgaria in a statement to the health authorities.
From 2026, doctors want the fee to be 0.5-0.6 percent of the minimum wage. With the government's proposed minimum wage of 1,213 leva next year, this would mean a user fee between 6 and 7 leva.
Currently, the user fee is 2.90 leva, and for pensioners - 1 leva. The amount has not changed since 2012, although the minimum wage has increased four times during this period.
Another proposal by general practitioners is that there should be no groups exempted from the user fee. Instead, they want certain institutions to be able to cover their costs from their budget.
Currently, people with certain diseases listed in the National Framework Agreement are exempt from the fee, as well as minors, underage and non-working family members, war veterans and disabled war veterans.
For children from the NSOPLB, they propose introducing a payment mechanism similar to that for pensioners, with the fee being borne by the parent.
The topic of increasing the user fee has become relevant in recent months. In August 2025, Assoc. Prof. Lyubomir Kirov, Chairman of the National Association of Public Health and Social Welfare, stated on BNT that everyone must pay a user fee, and for exempted groups, the costs must be covered by the institution that exempted them.
"The function of the user fee is to limit overconsumption, so that there are no more people than necessary in front of any offices", Kirov explained at the time.
However, Health Minister Assoc. Prof. Silvi Kirilov stated in September that at this stage, especially in the transition to the euro, the fee should not be changed. "There may be discussions until June 2026, but for now there will be no increase", he said.