The introduction of the system of diagnostically linked groups (DLG) in Bulgaria is postponed for a year. This becomes clear from the changes in Regulation 42 of the Health Ministry, published by the Ministry for public comment.

The Regulation introduces an abridged version of the Australian classification of medical procedures – a Bulgarian revision, which in the current text of the document should have come into force starting the 1st of January 2015. From the Ministry of Health, however, there has been an offer for this to happen starting the beginning of 2016, given the need to have technological time to adapt to the overall regulatory framework, as well as the software.

This version of the regulation envisages the director of the National Center for Public Health Protection and Analyses to issue an alphabetical index for working with the adapted version of the Australian DLG by the end of this month – the 30th of November 2014. The Health Department has offered this deadline to be extended up to the 31st of March 2015.

The amendments impose obligations on the CEO of the National Health Insurance Fund as well, who is expected to organize and control the activities for preparation for the work of the Fund under the new classification by the end of the upcoming 2015.