The Commission for the Protection of Competition has initiated proceedings due to suspicions of the concentration of significant public resources for medical devices and aids in a limited number of suppliers. The inspection will cover the rules under which the National Health Insurance Fund pays for these products, reports Nova TV.
This is a serious financial resource. In 2024 and 2025 alone, the NHIF paid over 400 million leva for medical devices. Over the same period, more than 1 billion leva was paid to retailers for aids, devices, facilities and medical devices for people with disabilities.
The proceedings were initiated after a preliminary study by the CPC, which identified potential problems in the market. Among them are the concentration of public funds in a small number of suppliers, the reduction in the number of operating companies and the presence of regulatory and administrative barriers to competition.
The NHIF data show serious differences in the distribution of funds. In the case of medical devices for hospital and outpatient care, the largest amounts are received by three companies in each of the two categories. In the case of assistive devices for people with disabilities, the main part of the funding reaches about ten companies.
The CPC has received signals from more than 10 interested parties. They raise questions about the decreasing number of companies on the market, excessive regulatory requirements, problems with the repair of assistive devices and restrictions on patients' ability to choose a supplier.
According to some of the reports, small and medium-sized manufacturers that manufacture individually tailored assistive devices have been forced out of the market in entire regions of the country.
The Commission will also examine whether certain conditions in the NHIF procedures limit the ability of companies to participate in the market. It will also be analyzed whether some of the requirements violate the principle of technological neutrality and limit competition, which could affect patient choice, the quality of devices and the introduction of innovations.
The mechanism by which the Health Fund spends public funds for medical devices and assistive devices will also be subject to analysis. The CPC will examine whether it is justified to place the contracting for these products outside the scope of the Public Procurement Act and whether the current model complies with European rules.
The possible obstacles to business, the reduction in the number of suppliers and the differences in access to products in different parts of the country will also be examined.
Particular emphasis will be placed on people with disabilities and the risk that in some regions they will not have a real choice between different suppliers or will not be able to obtain the necessary products and services close to where they live.
During the proceedings, the CPC will request opinions from state institutions, business representatives, patient organizations and organizations of people with disabilities. After completing the analysis, the Commission may propose changes or removal of regulatory and administrative rules if it finds that they unreasonably restrict competition. The aim is to improve the competitive environment and the use of public funds, without affecting the objectives of health and social policy.