site.btaHealth Insurance Fund Probes Thousands of Gambling Visits of "Hospitalized" Patients

The National Health Insurance Fund is checking reports of incomplete or non-existent hospitalizations after a National Revenue Agency tip-off, the Fund’s press service said here on Monday.

A preliminary NRA review of the first half of 2025 found more than 22,000 visits to gambling venues during recorded hospital stays, involving 3,890 patients.

The Fund added that it found serious discrepancies in recorded hospitalizations of insured people. A preliminary NRA analysis of the first half of 2025 showed more than 22,000 visits to gambling venues by people who are officially recorded as being admitted for inpatient treatment at the same time. The number of patients who spent time in gambling venues while they are recorded as hospitalized is 3,890.

On the basis of the data supplied by the NRA, the Fund launched an inspection. In parallel, it will take follow-up control steps within its statutory powers.

If breaches are found, penalties will be imposed and funds recovered for non-existent hospitalizations or for failure to follow clinical pathway/procedure rules in healthcare facilities, the Fund added. If necessary, other competent institutions affected by such practices will also be notified during the inspections to ensure a coordinated, effective and timely institutional response.

Details of the results of the inspections and the measures taken will be provided after they are completed.

In July 2025, electronic examinations registered in the National Health Information System totaled more than 150 million, including 6.6 million dental examinations, Information Services said.

Information Services is a Bulgarian state-owned company that serves as the government’s main IT integrator and operator of national e-governance systems. It develops, maintains, and secures core public digital infrastructure, including the National Health Information System (NHIS), the electronic identification and e-government portals, and various registries.