Social Assistance Agency Reports Dramatic Increase in Bulgarians without Health Insurance

Bulgaria's Social Assistance Agency has reported a dramatic increase in the number of Bulgarians without health insurance.

Over the past three years, the state has paid for the treatment of three times as many people, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).

Boyka Todorova, senior expert at the Social Assistance directorate of the Agency, told BNR Thursday that only people in extreme poverty could take advantage of the funding granted under a ministerial decree.

She said that the state had spent around BGN 2 M on medical care for over 2400 uninsured citizens only in the first half of 2013.

"I am worried by the growing number of uninsured people and the sums of money we are paying. However, the people who receive social security benefits are insured under the State Budget Act," she explained.

In mid-August, the National Revenue Agency informed that only 40% of Bulgarians owing health insurance contributions paid their installments regularly, while over 2 million were with interrupted health insurance rights and could not use free-of-charge medical assistance.

The health insurance of around 3.9 million Bulgarians is covered by the state budget, including pensioners, minors under 18 years of age, university students and indigent people.

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