Bulgarian Hospitals Sue State Massively

The majority of Bulgarian hospitals have filed court claims against the National Health Insurance Fund over blatant and overspread delay of payments.

Some 160-170, or more than half, of Bulgaria's hospitals have logded claims against the fund for failure to pay dues which are estimated to be owed as much as BGN 150 M, reports the Bulgarian Medical Association.

No payments whatsoever have been issued for August and during March-July hospitals have been paid only 80% of dues.

The claims filed are symbolic, as hospitals cannot afford to pay the court fee for larger claims.

The Association qualified the situation as "unprecedented."

??????Across the country, hospitals have been cutting down operations, such as postponing planned surgeries and asking patients to bring their own food. Suppliers of medicines and equipment have warned that they could stop deliveries.

Doctors are ready to protest in the streets should their demands fail to be met, as the Bulgarian Parliament is set to vote on a new candidate for Minister of Health and on a no-confidence vote tabled by opposition over the government's health policy.

The Bulgarian Medical Association convenes on Tuesday to determine the course of doctors' protest actions.

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