site.btaPrices for 77% of Clinical Pathways Need to Be Increased, Economist Says

Prices for 77% of clinical pathways need to be increased, economist Arkadi Sharkov said at a press conference on “Prices and Inflation in Healthcare,” held at the Bulgarian Medical Union (BMU) on Monday. Sharkov, together with Stoyan Penchev, presented the results of a study conducted by the Expert Club for Economics and Policy, which examined inflation and the lag in healthcare pricing.

According to Sharkov, this applies to 207 clinical pathways, whose rates need to be raised to reflect their real value and ensure fairness for healthcare workers and citizens’ access to quality medical services. He said that an additional EUR 1.42 billion is required to achieve this. Sharkov also stressed that, in view of the upcoming elections, lawmakers should pay particular attention to the healthcare sector. He noted that one of the largest expenses for hospitals is salaries, which in some institutions account for up to 90% of costs.

Penchev said that inflation in healthcare was high in the 2021–2025 period, reaching 14%. He added that healthcare prices lag behind those in the broader economy, and hospital service fees have collapsed by 83% due to reductions in inpatient charges.  

BMU Chair Nikolay Branzalov noted that doctors continue to fulfill their professional duties despite severe financial deficits. According to him, this situation affects the quality of medical services. “The political situation is unstable, and we cannot expect a solution today, but we hope steps will be taken immediately after a government is formed,” Branzalov said. He added that it is unlikely that any party in the upcoming election campaign will fail to claim that healthcare is a priority. He also noted that discussions about increasing the patient co-payment have been ongoing, but despite dialogue with politicians, support has not been forthcoming.