–
–
On Friday, the head of the National Health Insurance Fund, Prof. Petko Salchev, and the chairman of the supervision, Dr. Alexander Zlatanov (from right to left), announced the decision of the fund to issue prescriptions for the jeeps as well.
–
Dispute between the NHIF and the BMA
They suspect embezzlement
By law, the distribution of money takes place after coordination with the professional organization
LPhysicians will not prescribe free medicines at COVID until the decision of the health insurance fund is agreed with the Bulgarian Medical Association and an annex is signed to confirm this, as required by law.
The National Association of General Practitioners issued this statement after the Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that patients can now receive these prescriptions in addition to covidones and their jeeps.
In the initial idea of the fund and the Ministry of Health, the GPs were present during the creation of the zones, and in both places the patients could receive free examinations, referrals and prescriptions for medicines. Surprisingly, in the final version of the box office, the jeeps were removed and only the areas in the DCCs and medical centers remained.
Also surprisingly, after a meeting of the NHIF supervision on Friday, Deputy The Minister of Health and Chairman of the Supervision of the Fund, Dr. Alexander Zlatanov, announced that family doctors will also prescribe free medicines, and the measure would come into force this Monday at the latest.
However, this has not been discussed with the Medical Union, and by law any such change requires coordination and signing of an annex to the National Framework Agreement, which also serves as a starting point and which sets out all the rules under which any new activity is performed.
There was no meeting,
the medical union
is not invited
for conversations
and discussion, and the decision was made alone, doctors explained on Tuesday. However, the health insurance fund explained that their decision had been sent to the BMA headquarters.
“In connection with the information published on the website of the Ministry of Health that patients with COVID-19 can receive free medicines from their personal physicians, we declare that this information is not true. The prescription of free medicines can come into force only after talks between the BMA and the Supervisory Board of the National Health Insurance Fund, after clearing all the details and controversial points about this possibility, “said in their position by the association of GPs.
They added that until then they had no right to prescribe free medication and asked their patients not to crowd in front of the offices.
One of the main demands of the jeeps to start prescribing the drugs is that they should not be limited to the groups that are now offered by the Ministry of Health.
They point out that among them are mainly antibiotics, anticoagulants, etc., which are not given in the initial stage of the disease.
“If I want to prescribe paracetamol, for example, I can’t, because it doesn’t appear,” Dr. Nikolay Branzalov, a general practitioner and deputy chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association, told 24 Chassa.
That’s why the jeeps insist
to expand
groups
medicines,
which can
are prescribed
However, despite the emerging problem around this case, neither the Ministry of Health nor the Health Insurance Fund came out with an official position. In addition, by the end of the day on Tuesday, the doctors’ union had not received an invitation from the NHIF for talks.
Against this background, however, the professional organization referred to the Prosecutor’s Office, SANS and the State Financial Inspection Agency another case related to the fund, namely illegal actions by its management to implement the Health Insurance Fund Budget Act and the Health Insurance Act.
According to information from “24 Chasa”, this is an attempt to transfer money from this year’s budget to next year’s budget, but the professional organization does not want to give details until the inspection is completed.
The lawyers of the professional organization got acquainted with the facts from transcripts of the meetings of the Supervisory Board of the National Health Insurance Fund in recent months, including the documentary correspondence between the supervision and the BMA and found sufficient grounds for
illegal
actions
from the side of
the manager
of the NHIF,
including attempts to conceal certain funds, clarified for “24 hours” by the BMA.
The submission of a report of a violation by the manager of the health insurance fund is a precedent.
“The Health Insurance Act and the NHIF Budget Act for 2021 clearly indicate how the funds of the health insured are spent. There is not a single moment when the NHIF, represented by its manager and the Supervisory Board, can spend funds independently and individually, ”explained the chairman of the BMA, Dr. Ivan Madjarov.
From the information provided by them from a transcript of a supervisory meeting, it is clear that the head of the NHIF Prof. Petko Salchev said that the decision to redistribute the remaining funds in the fund will be taken by the supervisory board, and by law this is done jointly with the medical union.
Detailed estimates from the professional organization are ready to be presented at the requested online meeting together with the supervision. However, such has not been scheduled by the fund yet, nor have they held talks in this direction, explained Dr. Madjarov.
The doctors’ union is ready to protest.
– .
