Bulgaria

If you need a doctor, you should look up a general practitioner who is contracted by the NHIF. Most doctors have such a contract. You can request contact information of doctors from the NHIF or one of the regional health insurance funds (RHIFs). At the appointment, present your European Health Insurance Card and a valid ID. This way, you will only need to pay the consultation fee.

You can see a specialist with a referral from a general practitioner. In this case, you pay only the consultation fee. If you see a specialist without a referral, you will have to pay the full cost of the treatment yourself.

You can see a dentist without a referral. If the dentist is contracted by the NHIF, you will receive treatment at the co-payment rate by presenting your European Health Insurance Card and a valid ID. The amount of the co-payment depends on the procedure. However, the scope of dental care covered by the NHIF is extremely limited.

If you receive a prescription on form No. 5, you should collect the medication from a pharmacy that has a contract with the NHIF. With your European Health Insurance Card, you will receive the medication either free of charge or at a partially reduced rate. If you are given a prescription on a form other than Form No. 5, you will not be entitled to any reimbursement and may collect the medication from any pharmacy.

For hospital treatment, you will need a doctor’s referral unless it is an emergency. Go to a hospital that has a contract with the NHIF and present the referral along with your European Health Insurance Card and a valid ID. You will be asked to fill in a declaration stating that the purpose of your stay in Bulgaria is not to receive treatment. In this case, you should only have to pay the standard daily fee for hospitalisation and any additional costs for medical supplies not covered by the National Health Insurance Fund. The daily fee is charged for a maximum of 10 days per year. Once you have been disharged from hospital, you are entitled to two free follow-up appointments. Emergency ambulance transport is free of charge.

If your illness requires special transport back to Finland, you will be liable for the full costs. It is recommended that you take out travel insurance that covers such expenses. Information about the reimbursements of medical expenses can be obtained from Bulgaria´s National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Remember to make sure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your health centre with the patient records concerning the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging that yourself.

In the event of a treatment injury, the legislation and patient insurance of the country where the treatment was provided will apply. If you are dissatisfied with the treatment you received, you should first try to resolve the matter directly with the healthcare provider. If you wish to file a complaint, the National Contact Point can help you identify the appropriate authority.

The Bulgarian health system is based on an insurance model consisting of compulsory social health insurance and voluntary health insurance. Public health insurance is administered by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), a public institution responsible for managing compulsory health insurance in Bulgaria. The NHIF is divided into 28 regional subdivisions located in the administrative centres of each region, known as Regional Health Insurance Funds (RHIFs). The benefit package and service prices are negotiated annually between the NHIF and the professional associations of physicians and dentists in Bulgaria.

Healthcare providers are autonomous, self-governing organisations. The private sector includes all primary medical and dental care, the pharmaceutical sector, most specialised outpatient care, and some hospitals.