NHIF had BGN 1.2 bn in the middle of 2010

“According to preliminary data, the money in the accounts of the National Healthcare Insurance Fund (NHIF) stood at BGN 1,234,700,000 on July 31, 2010. In 2009 and 2010, NHIF’s budget was formed only by health insurance contributions and transfers for health insurance,” Finance Minister Simeon Djankov said yesterday in his report to the MPs on the state of NHIF’s transitional balance in the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) since 2000. He stressed that in 2007 NHIF had a deficit. Therefore, the State subsidised it with budget money to the amount of BGN 339 mln. In 2008, NHIF again had a deficit, and the State covered the difference between its revenues and expenditures, remitting BGN 206 mln from the Republican budget and the money in its accounts in BNB remained unchanged at BGN 375 mln.

The exact amount of the money that the NHIF may use every year is voted by the NHIF Budget Act. “The accumulated reserve deposited in BNB can only be used when NHIF has planned a deficit,” Djankov stressed. “Currently, more money enter the Bulgarian healthcare system than during the best fiscal years,” said the Finance Minister. Every year the system swallows more and more money without reforming itself. It turns out that the system that treats sick people is sick itself. Who is to blame for this - the executive and legislative power,” Djankov commented. According to him, it is a fact that the reform in the healthcare system stopped in 2001 and the last two governments had done nothing in this respect. “The problem for 2010 will be solved to some extent but it will remain and everybody knows why - because the unreformed system continues to swallow money,” Djankov stated.