Pharmacies across Bulgaria are facing temporary closures on July 3 due to planned protests by pharmacists against proposed changes to their payment structure by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Dimitar Marinov, chairman of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union (BPU), revealed the upcoming protest during an announcement to BTA. He outlined that pharmacists intend to protest on July 4 from 09:00 to 09:30, during which time pharmacies will only dispense medications for emergencies. Additionally, pharmacy owners will submit notices to regional health insurance funds to terminate their contracts with the NHIF.

Marinov emphasized the financial challenges pharmacies would face under the proposed payment reforms, stating that without sufficient compensation for over-the-counter drugs and cosmetics, many pharmacies would struggle to remain operational in the coming months.

"On July 4, pharmacists will be present to explain to patients the implications of the proposed changes on the provision of free therapy," Marinov clarified, urging patience and understanding from the public during the protest period.

The Acting Minister of Health, Dr. Galya Kondeva, acknowledged the proposed changes to the Ordinance on the terms and conditions for prescribing and dispensing medicinal products, which are currently under public consultation on the Ministry of Health's website. Despite this, the BPU has not yet received an official opinion from the Ministry or the NHIF regarding the necessity or impact of these changes.

The draft proposals include removing restrictions on the number of drugs prescribed per prescription and allowing partial filling of electronic prescriptions across different pharmacies. According to Acting NHIF manager Prof. Momchil Mavrov, the Fund would proportionally reimburse pharmacies for drugs dispensed under these new guidelines, potentially reducing payments to pharmacies from the current fixed rate per prescription.

Marinov criticized these changes, arguing that they would drastically reduce pharmacy revenues and disrupt the current funding model. He highlighted concerns about the economic viability of pharmacies, particularly those in smaller communities where they may be the sole provider of pharmaceutical services.

Pharmaceutical colleges across Bulgaria have voiced their dissatisfaction with the proposed changes, announcing the temporary closure of pharmacies on July 3 in protest. Marinov reiterated the BPU's proposal for a payment model based on patient diagnoses, which he believes would provide a more sustainable solution for pharmacies.

The proposed changes aim to save the NHIF approximately one million BGN per month, but their potential impact on pharmacy operations and patient access to medications remains a contentious issue among stakeholders.