The NHIF is expecting the transfer of BGN 9 million from the MH, and the money will be used for the medicines for hospital care. This was conveyed to Zdrave.net by the patients’ representative in the Supervisory Board of the NHIF Petko Kenanov. He informed that at yesterday’s meeting of the Supervisory Board a decision was taken the rest of the reserves of the treasury to be given for medicines. So in October 28 million will be taken out of it and the same amount will be drawn in November.

The amount of BGN 9 million that the MH should give to the NHIF is for settlement of an old payment for vaccines. The Fund explained that the medications in question are the ones that the NHIF had ordered in 2013, while immunizations were its responsibility. The Fund paid them to the suppliers and now the Ministry of Health should cover this expense.

The NHIF explained that by the end of the budget year BGN 94 million are needed for medicines. So after the reserves of BGN 56 million and the transferred money from the Ministry of Health are paid for medicines, the Fund will need another BGN 29 million. They rely on higher collection of health insurance in the last months, in order to compensate for the deficit.

At least another BGN 500 million are needed in the budget of the NHIF for 2015.

At least BGN half a billion more are needed for health care for the next year. This was said by the chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association Dr. Tsvetan Raichinov.

According to him if the funds are in the amount of this year – and with the two updates of the budget of the fund, this will mean that the next Framework agreement can not include anything new or to make adjustments for prices.

He noted that there is no need to expand the health service package paid by NHIF, as already the funds are not sufficient to cover everything due in the last 3-4 years by the Fund. This, he said, led to its “collapse”.