Record Number of Bulgarians Hospitalized in 2012

In March, 2012, Bulgarian ruling GERB party MP Plamen Tsekov was selected by the Parliament to become the next Head of Bulgaria's National Health Insurance Fund. Photo by BGNES

A record number of Bulgarians have been hospitalized in 2012, says the Head of the country's National Health Insurance Fund, NZOK, Plamen Tsekov.

Speaking Sunday for the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, Tsekov reported that 1.7 million people have been listed in hospitals across the country in 2012.

According to him, 40 000 of these patients have cost NZOK nearly BGN 50 M, while expenditures for medications were up 4%, compared to 2011, reaching BGN 520 M.

There have been also more doctors' referrals than planned. Tsekov says control on them will be tightened since many of these referrals have been paid by NZOK, but actually never reached the patients.

The budget of hospitals in Bulgaria will be increased in 2013 by BGN 18-20 M to be spend mainly for pulmonology, pediatrics and general surgery, under the proposal of the Bulgarian Doctors Union, BLS.

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