The Association for the Development of Bulgarian Healthcare (ADBH) announced on Friday that it will file a formal complaint on Monday. The complaint targets the Bulgarian Medical Association and the National Health Insurance Fund regarding their refusal to incorporate procedures for financing biomarker diagnostics within the National Framework Contract. The ADBH emphasized that these tests are critical for determining which medications are effective against specific types of cancer or metastasis.
Without access to such diagnostics, patients are often limited to older therapeutic regimens that can be poorly tolerated and may lack optimal efficacy. Currently, Bulgaria remains the only country in the European Union where individuals must fund this essential testing out-of-pocket, with costs reportedly ranging between EUR 500 and EUR 2,500. In its submission to the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, the association is requesting a formal finding of discrimination against cancer patients and an order compelling state authorities to rectify the situation.
The issue stems from a budgetary reallocation: funds designated for biomarker diagnostics were allocated in the National Health Insurance Fund’s 2026 budget but were subsequently moved by an amendment, shifting them from the medical services budget line to the medical devices budget line. The patient organization has urged any individuals who have paid for biomarker testing privately to contact the ADBH. This will allow the organization to include their cases in future legal actions aimed at protecting patient rights, including pursuing compensation for damages incurred.
Topics: #association #discrimination #biomarker
