site.btaHealth Insurance Fund Deputy Governor Says His Work Has Always Put Patient, Public Interest First

National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Deputy Director Momchil Mavrov said in a statement on Friday that his work has always been guided by one principle: the patient and the public interest come first. "Everything else is just noise, political interpretations, and convenient suggestions," he added. 

Earlier in the day, Democratic Bulgaria called for Mavrov's dismissal who, according to media reports, is one of the symbols of corrupt practices in Bulgarian healthcare. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms called for the dismissal of the entire NHIF leadership over failure to address the issues built up in the healthcare system. The calls come after a scheme to embezzle NHIF funds through fictitious rehabilitation clinical pathways was uncovered.

Mavrov argued that in recent days, he has once again been the target of political insinuations that are not based on facts. He added that the attempt to discredit his work at the NHIF is not a recent development. "The temporary restriction of some of my powers was an administrative measure. Inspections were also ordered. After they were completed, my powers were fully restored. No violations or irregularities were found in my work," he added. 

Mavrov also said he is satisfied with the widespread recognition he has received for a number of his achievements in reforming the system, including: the discovery of over 600 non-existent hospital beds and the identification of systemic discrepancies in hospital care reporting; data on suspicious hospitalizations and potential abuses; uncovered cases of misuse related to payments for unfulfilled orders; identified gaps in the system and regulatory framework that create opportunities for misuse of public funds; focus placed on inadequate cybersecurity and health data protection, including risk analysis and contracts for critical IT infrastructure.

The process for granting assistive devices has been fully digitized and streamlined, including text messages and Viber notifications that reduce the administrative burden and enhance oversight, Mavrov said further in his statement. The scope and value of reimbursed medical aids and medical devices have been expanded under strict budgetary discipline and without any identified violations; millions have been saved through a payment mechanism to pharmacies; changes have been proposed to a number of laws and regulations to ensure Bulgarian citizens’ access to treatment both domestically and abroad; control and budget discipline have been improved; key electronic services have been introduced and expanded, such as health insurance status checks for citizens insured abroad; an interactive map of services; the use of electronic contracts and electronic financial and accounting documents, etc.