Cabinet hikes insurance contributions to perk up sick healthcare
The Bulgarian cabinet and the medics' organizations agreed to raise the mandatory health insurance contributions by 2%, so that the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) can settle its dues to protesting doctors, DNEVNIK reported.
The reason for the emergency decision was the ongoing protest actions of general practitioners in the country for delayed payments from NHIF, who threatened with a country-wide strike on April 7. The cabinet will unblock BGN 350 million for the healthcare sector, but hospitals will be closely scrutinized to prevent funnelling of funds, Prime Minister Boiko BORISSOV told the medics. After the meeting, fresh financing was remitted to the regional units of NHIF, which can thus meet their liabilities to dentists and doctors.
Currently the mandatory health premium is equal to 8% of the annual earnings and the ruling party said in its election campaign it planned to raise it to 10% as late as 2011, after a new health insurance scheme is introduced and private health funds enter the scene. The move does not short-circuit reforms, but aims to ensure money for the health sector without widening the budget deficit, the health ministry said.
The hike will bring about less than 1% increase for employees, as 60% of the premium is paid by the employer, Tsvean RAICHINOV, head of the Bulgarian Medical Association, noted. The hike can be adopted after passing amendments to the health insurance and NHIF budget acts in parliament, which will take a month, MPs commented. Deputies from the ruling GERB party are likely to support the decision, Lachezar AVRAMOV, Chairman of the Parliamentary Health Committee, said.
Employers' representatives opposed pouring funds into NHIF before reforming the system. Nothing has been done to improve medical services and there are no guarantees that funds will not be gobbled up by disfunctional hospitals, Evgeni IVANOV, Head of the Employers Confederation, pointed out.
