Bulgarian hospitals shall stop performing planned surgeries, except in cases where the patient herself pays the expenses for materials, announced Monday the chair of the Bulgarian Medical Association Tsvetan Raychinov.

They are doing that in response of annexes sent to them by the National Health Insurance Fund that increases hospital budget cuts to 30% from 20%.

According to Raychinov, quoted by Darik Radio, Bulgarian hospitals cannot continue normal work under those conditions.

Earlier today the Health Insurance Fund issued a statement saying that it is not trying to limit the activities performed by hospitals and that the budget cuts for them merely reflect cuts in the Health Insurance Fund's own budget. The Fund also adds that money is now to be distributed on a 'delegated budget' principle requiring an active involvement.

Earlier Monday the chair of the Bulgarian Medical Association said for Mediapool: “Basically the money that the hospitals will receive can cover only the salaries for the staff. In this way, the patient will have to pay everything – electricity, water, consumables, medicines, etc.”

Monday the directors of 7 hospitals in Bulgaria – including ones in cities such as Stara Zagora and Shumen – went as far as declaring that their hospitals will close doors except for emergency cases starting Wednesday.

The chair of the Bulgarian Medical Association also said medics are considering coming out on national protests.