Unvaccinated patients with Covid-19 in hospitals to pay part of the cost of their treatment. This will be requested by the Bulgarian Hospital Association (BBA) from the Ministry of Health in connection with the large number of unvaccinated people who overload the health system in the country during the fourth wave of the pandemic.

"Given that patients have free access to vaccines in our country, and since data from around the world show that over 91% of hospital admissions are not vaccinated, we believe it is time to give a clear signal that unvaccinated patients "Cost" us all a high price. This high price has not only a financial expression, but also includes the exhaustion of the medical staff and the complication of the problem with the shortage of staff ", the BBA explains. Against the backdrop of rising costs across the sector and the underfunded pathways for Covid-19 treatment, those who choose not to be vaccinated for no medical reason should share at least some of their responsibility to society.

The requested changes will be proposed by supplementing the Ordinance on the exercise of the right of access to medical care, enabling medical institutions to receive a supplement for the treatment of unvaccinated patients with Covid-19, unless they have a medical reason not to can be vaccinated. Another possible option is for the Ministry of Health to set a fixed amount to pay for the treatment of unvaccinated patients.

As of October 13, 2021, 91.49% of newly admitted patients in hospitals in Bulgaria have not been vaccinated, according to data from the Unified Information Portal. At the same time, only 23.5% of the population of our country has been vaccinated as of October 12.

In August and September, the Bulgarian Hospital Association conducted an information vaccination campaign with the support of the Bulgarian Medical Union, the National Patient Organization, the National Association of Private Hospitals, the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union, the Center for Healthcare Rights, the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals and the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG).

The campaign aims to answer the most important questions about the meaning and importance of vaccines in the efforts of all stakeholders to soften the impact of the new wave of the pandemic and to protect the maximum number of people through proven professionals.

The information vaccination campaign of BBA on the social network Facebook for the period August - September generated 155,549 impressions and reached nearly 81 thousand people, as 43% of the reactions to the posts were likes.

All materials from the campaign can be found on the website of BBA - https://bba-bulgaria.com/ - interviews in the section "News about Covid-19", press releases - in the section "News" and participation in the media - "BBA in the media."

/BBA Press Relase