The Association for the Development of Bulgarian Healthcare (ADBH) announced on Friday that it will file a complaint 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 funding for biomarker diagnostics into the National Framework Contract. Biomarker testing is described as essential for determining the sensitivity of specific cancers or metastases to particular medications.
The ADBH stated that without such diagnostic testing, patients are limited to older, basic therapies that can be difficult to tolerate and may lack efficacy. Currently, Bulgaria is noted as the sole European Union country where patients must cover the costs of this type of diagnostics themselves, with expenses ranging between EUR 500 and EUR 2,500. In its complaint, the association seeks a ruling of discrimination against cancer patients and requests that state authorities issue an order to rectify the situation.
The patient organization has urged individuals who have paid for biomarker testing out-of-pocket to contact the association so their cases can be included in future actions to safeguard their rights, potentially including claims for compensation. The issue stems from a budgetary shift. Although funds for biomarker diagnostics were allocated in the National Health Insurance Fund’s 2026 budget, an amendment adopted during the second reading moved these funds from the medical services budget line to the medical devices budget line.
Topics: #association #discrimination #biomarker
It is deeply concerning that access to essential biomarker diagnostics is being complicated by funding disagreements.
What specific funding mechanisms or policy changes could address the lack of support for biomarker diagnostics in Bulgaria?