The Association for the Development of Bulgarian Healthcare (ADBH) announced on Friday that it plans to file a complaint on Monday with the Commission for Protection against Discrimination. The complaint targets the Bulgarian Medical Association and the National Health Insurance Fund regarding their refusal to incorporate financing for biomarker diagnostics into the National Framework Contract. The association emphasized the critical role of biomarkers in determining the sensitivity of specific types of cancer or metastasis to certain medications.
According to the ADBH, without these diagnostic tests, patients are limited to older, basic therapies that can be poorly tolerated and often ineffective. Currently, Bulgaria is the only country in the European Union where patients must cover the costs of biomarker testing out-of-pocket, with expenses ranging from EUR 500 to EUR 2,500. In its filing, the association seeks a ruling from the Commission establishing discrimination against cancer patients and requesting that state authorities take action to rectify the situation.
The patient organization is urging individuals who have paid for biomarker testing privately to contact the association so that their cases can be integrated into future actions aimed at protecting their rights, including pursuing compensation for damages. The issue stems from the allocation of funds for biomarker diagnostics within the National Health Insurance Fund’s 2026 budget. However, during the second reading, an amendment was passed that relocated these funds from the medical services budget line to the medical devices budget line.
The ADBH argues this change perpetuates a form of discrimination against patients needing advanced care.
Topics: #association #discrimination #biomarker
