Bulgaria Last in EU Healthcare Public Expenses

Bulgaria is the EU country in which the the least percentage of its GDP goes for healthcare – a mere 8%.

Germany tops the ranking with 12%.

The Balkan country's public expenses for healthcare per capita are 5-6 times smaller than in the rest of the bloc, Dr. Stoicho Katsarov from its Center for Patients' Rights Protection said Monday, as cited by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian patients pay nearly 50% of the medical services upon receiving them, which is the highest percentage of all EU member states. The average for the union is 20-25%, Katsarov pointed out, citing WHO data from 2009.

Monday marks the European Patients' Rights Day.

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