The Bulgarian health system is at a critical stage of development. This is one of the conclusions of the Economic Analysis of the Consequences of the Failure to Increase the Health Insurance Contribution.
„The health care system in Bulgaria is severely underfunded. The main conclusion is that by 2040 we will lose about 50 billion leva for various reasons. Separately, many people will not be healthy enough to pay their insurance premiums, said in "This Sunday" the chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association (BLS), Dr. Nikolay Brunzalov.
It has been publicly proven that the system is underfunded and the state must provide additional money, he said.
“There is no such health insurance contribution of 8% in Europe. There is no other country that allocates about 5% of GDP to healthcare,“ Brunzalov said.
He gave the example that in Germany the health insurance contribution is 14.8%. The closest to us is Romania with 10%.
“Official negotiations regarding the increase in the health insurance contribution have not been conducted at this time. In unofficial conversations, everyone is aware that this money for healthcare is insufficient. This is a political decision that will not bring political dividends for the respective party that proposed it. This is my explanation“, said Dr. Nikolay Brunzalov.
According to him, no one can currently answer the question of how much the contribution should be.
“If we want to strive for free healthcare and no co-payment, the future will show this, by gradually raising the health insurance contribution, as set out at the beginning of the reform“, Brunzalov also pointed out.
"I have nothing against the state holding an auction for medicines at the highest level and for them to be the same for everyone", he added.
"I don't think young doctors are particularly happy with the decision made. This amount that is being voted - 260 million, 30 of which will return to the Ministry of Health, the remaining 230 million will go only for hospital care for fellow specialists and for all those working in the system", explained Nikolay Brunzalov.
"For me, the question here remains open, our proposal is the following - until the moment when young colleagues take a specialty, they will specifically need some subsidy, and not go to engage in non-specific activities to think about how to make ends meet," explained the chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association.