The leadership of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) requires the maintenance of impeccable teamwork. This thesis was defended by Dr. Vladimir Vasev Daskalov before the members of the Parliamentary Committee on Health. His candidacy for the position of governor of the health institution was officially nominated by the "Progressive Bulgaria" parliamentary group.
During his presentation, Dr. Daskalov outlined key priorities for managing the fund. His proposals include:
- Introducing new diagnostic methods and providing modern equipment;
- Developing comprehensive treatment and full digitalization of processes;
- Strengthening control over how funds are spent;
- Focusing on prevention, prophylaxis, and facilitating access to medical care for citizens in remote regions;
- Shifting procedures from hospital to outpatient care and increasing the rates that the NHIF pays for outpatient activities.
"We are obliged to start with an honest diagnosis of the system – every year the NHIF budget increases by 10%, yet the average life expectancy in Bulgaria remains low, we rank among the leaders in preventable mortality, and cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death," he pointed out. The candidate added that another alarming statistic is the obesity rate in nearly one out of every three children, which turns them into patients while still at school age. He emphasized that currently, the healthcare system funds complications rather than early disease detection, criticizing the fact that out-of-pocket payments by patients have reached a staggering 39%.
Dr. Daskalov committed to leading the institution by adhering to the principles of economy, effectiveness, transparency, sustainability, discipline, and efficiency. He guaranteed that in his work, he would consult with the opinions of professional and patient organizations. Among his specific ideas is a shift from payment based on volume to a quality-based model, under which standardized indicators for each medical facility would be piloted. He considers monitoring therapeutic outcomes and active patient control through the "eHealth" mobile application to be critically important.
Regarding drug policy, Dr. Daskalov's proposals include:
- Full digitalization of all prescriptions;
- Creation of a digital map of retail drug sellers, covering all pharmacies;
- Completion of the Specialized Electronic System for tracking and analysis of medicinal products;
- A system for immediate notification of doctors in the event of medicine shortages.
The health committee is scheduled to hear the other candidates as well – Stanimir Mihaylov, proposed by "We Continue the Change," as well as the candidate for deputy governor Zdravko Shushkov, nominated by "Progressive Bulgaria."