Bulgaria faces a healthcare "bargain": Debate on patient fees shakes the system
Function and Philosophy of the Fee
Sofia, Bulgaria — The long-standing debate over the fate of the patient fee in healthcare has flared up again with new force, raising questions about social justice and the sustainability of the system. At the center of the discussion was Assoc. Prof. Lyubomir Kirov, chairman of NSOPLB, who in a television appearance emphasized the need for a complete change in the approach to the fee, which, in his words, has remained "young" in its value, while everything else has aged.
In an emotional commentary that captured the long-standing stagnation of the problem, Assoc. Prof. Kirov said: "I was a young and handsome man back then, and now I am some kind of old dude, but the fee remained young - it didn't grow up". He pointed out that since 2011, although the minimum wage has quadrupled, the patient fee has remained unchanged. This obvious disproportion is at the heart of the tension felt in the corridors of power and among health experts.
Assoc. Prof. Kirov clarified the two main functions of the patient fee, which, according to him, have lost their effectiveness over the years. The first is to limit overconsumption by preventing the formation of unnecessary queues in front of doctors' offices. The second function is co-financing, as the fee adds additional income to the health system. Despite these goals, the current situation shows that the fee does not adequately fulfill either of its two roles.
Welfare State or Social Inequality?
One of the most controversial aspects of the debate is the issue of groups exempted from the fee. Assoc. Prof. Kirov defined Bulgaria as a "very social state", but questioned the logic according to which children under 18, pensioners, and people with chronic diseases are exempted. According to him, "all of them use the services without any contribution". This comment raises questions about the distribution of the burden, which, in his words, falls only on working citizens.
"This fee is the only thing that working people have to give of themselves", Assoc. Prof. Kirov is adamant. He insists that exempting certain groups creates injustice and calls for a radical change in the system.
Proposal for a Fair Model
Assoc. Prof. Kirov presented a bold and direct solution to the problem. He stated that "there should be no one exempted from the fee. Everyone should pay it". According to him, if the state or another entity decides that a certain person should be exempt from this "burden", then they must bear the cost. As a possible mechanism for this, it was proposed that payment be made "against the receipt", so that the exempted person goes and is paid 2.90.
He was adamant that everyone should pay, and for those who cannot, the responsibility should be borne by the one who exempted them from the commitment. This approach, although controversial, offers a new perspective on healthcare funding and the redistribution of responsibilities.
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The air in the television studio where the conversation took place was filled with tension as Assoc. Prof. Kirov expressed his arguments, which are likely to ignite a new round of debates among politicians and health experts. Whether his proposal will be accepted or will become another episode in the patient fee saga remains to be seen.
Коментари (47)
PICH_007
28.08.2025, 08:47Точно така! Прозрачност и справедливост в здравеопазването.
GRINGO_77
28.08.2025, 08:51точно това ни трябва - по-добра здравна система! 🤬
Bat_Jordan
28.08.2025, 08:48докторите и болниците и без това са разграбени, какви такси?
peshaka
28.08.2025, 08:52аби кво им е нна тия - и без таксата сме на ръба! 😂🏥
AS
28.08.2025, 08:53абе моля те, здравеопазването е окаяно, но таксите са задължителни! 🙄
asd123
28.08.2025, 08:49Поредната атака срещу социално слабите! ЕС ни тласка към пълен геноцид! 👍
PESHO98
28.08.2025, 08:53tipichno populistko vnushenie! es podkrepya sotsialnite politiki, ne gi razrushava..
PeshoFromSofia2023
28.08.2025, 08:54Лудница! Поридният опит да ни смачкат финансово.
darkangel
28.08.2025, 08:52добра стъпка към модернизация на системата! 👍
DARKANGEL
28.08.2025, 08:56Типи4но поредната еврократска идея да ни оберат джоба! 🇧🇬💔
superman1983
28.08.2025, 10:00Поредната измама! Брюксел ни краде парите, а ние плащаме за всичко 😡
ivanka
28.08.2025, 10:00Нормално е да има малка такса, така системата работи по-добре 💪
-_da
28.08.2025, 10:00Dobra ideya - zdraveto tryabva da e dostapno za vsichki 👍
парите
28.08.2025, 10:18Поредната антинародна политика! ЕС ни краде парите! 😡
NOCOMMENT
28.08.2025, 10:18Точнно такива реформи ни трабват, за да станем истински европейска държава 🇪🇺
pich_0071973
28.08.2025, 10:20Точно това е правилната посока - модернизация и прозрачност в здравеопазването според европейските стандарти!!!
KOMENTAR_BG
28.08.2025, 10:21Добре де, кой ще плаща? Пак народът... 🙄
realist1982
28.08.2025, 10:23Киров! Накрая някой каза истината. Всички трябва да плащат еднакво! 💪
blagoi
28.08.2025, 10:47Русиящяладаниспасиоттиятакси!
GUEST123
28.08.2025, 10:49Rusnatsite shte ni spasyat ot tiya grabezhi! ES ni machka s taksi i danatsi 💪
NIKI_BG
28.08.2025, 10:48Пореднната атака срещу бедните хора! Кой мисли за пенсионерите?
xD
28.08.2025, 10:52абе стига мъки за възрастните! поне малко солидарност, докторе 😡
Майстора
28.08.2025, 10:53Абе прав е! Накой трябва да спре циганджийството в здравеопазването 💉🚑
therealivan
28.08.2025, 10:49ама нали сме в ес, защо трябва да плащаме толкова много?! исканията са нечовешки. 🤙
petrov2000
28.08.2025, 10:51абе тва е пълна лудост! брюксел ни дава пари да сме по-добри..
krisko_bg1997
28.08.2025, 10:51точно тъй! ивропа ни подкрепя, да живей ес!
VANKATABG
28.08.2025, 10:52Точнонавреме!Трябвадамодернизирамездравеопазванетосикатоевропейскитедържави.
b. иванов
28.08.2025, 12:17лудница! прави хората повече бедни!!!
000C8
28.08.2025, 12:19абе молq те... поредната европейска глупост!
точеннанализиправилнопредложение
28.08.2025, 12:21Точеннанализиправилнопредложение!
realist
28.08.2025, 12:22Европейскитестандартиизискватсоциалнасолидарност!
NoComment
28.08.2025, 12:23Moderen i spravedliv podhod! Bravo na dots. Kirov!
🤦♂️_и
28.08.2025, 12:57Абе ама те и без такса здравеопазването ни е купешко 🤦♂️
niki_bg
28.08.2025, 12:57ЕС ще ни подкрепи да имаме модерно и достъпно здравеопазване! 💪🇪🇺
Kombinator1997
28.08.2025, 13:00Руснаците имат безплатно здравеопазване, защо ние не можем? 🇷🇺 🤙
PICH_007
28.08.2025, 13:18руският модел е по-добър
PETKAN
28.08.2025, 13:18ес ще ни подкрепи в тази реформа
207
28.08.2025, 13:19точно така! справедливост за всички!!!
blagoi1990
28.08.2025, 13:21Правилно! Трябва да има прозрачност и справедливост в здравната система.
PeshoFromSofia
28.08.2025, 13:21Нямам думи колко е глупаво това предложение
dokogashteprodalzhavatozigenotsid_poredniyatopitdaograbyatbednitepensioneri
28.08.2025, 13:22poredniyatopitdaograbyatbednitepensioneri!dokogashteprodalzhavatozigenotsid? 💥
KAKA_
28.08.2025, 13:22абе моля те, пореднната измама!
bryuksel
28.08.2025, 13:23porednata direktiva ot bryuksel, koyato sasipva balgarite! 👍
GUEST123
28.08.2025, 14:17Поредната глупост! Русия щяла да ни спаси 🇷🇺💪!!
NINJA
28.08.2025, 14:18Модерно и прозрачно решение! Подкрепям напълно 💯
45F8A
28.08.2025, 14:21Пак ще плащаме, бе... Купон за богатите 😒
луд_петко
28.08.2025, 14:23Точно така! ЕС ще ни оправи. Киров е прав 👍🇪🇺!