The Bulgarian Health Ministry is planning amendments, which envision cut of the types and funding for prophylactic examinations.

The amendments envision abolishment of the mandatory annual tests for adults on cholesterol and triglycerides, which were introduced last year.

If the new changes become a fact, these tests, as well as a complete blood count, will be funded by the National Health Insurance Fund (NZOK) once every five years.

Another change would be the reducing of funds for a blood test from BGN 5,72 to BGN 2,75. Doctors have warned that in this way less indicators would be checked and the test will provide far less information about the patient's condition.

The National Association of General Practitioners has insisted that the amendments should be reviewed because they would not lead to more prevention, but exactly the opposite – even less Bulgarians would undergo prophylactic examinations.

The Association has warned the Health Ministry that this ordinance would be remembered as another ill-considered change.

Two weeks ago, the Bulgarian Medical Association announced that all doctors and hospital workers will protest in September because of the continuing cuts of the budget for hospitals this year.

In August, the heads of state and municipal hospitals were forced to sign annexes, which envisioned a 30% cut of the budgets, announced in their contracts.

Hospitals in the country have announced that they have already started to send patients back due to the lack of funds.

“The idea of the funding a clinical pathway was that the more a hospital works, the more funding it will receive. With the introduction of strict delegated budgets for each month, the hospitals that work more will be in more debt, instead of having more profit,” the Bulgarian Medical Association said.