Bulgaria’s government has approved draft changes to the Health Insurance Act, which regulate the split of state-guaranteed medical care into a basic and a complementary package.

The proposal is consistent with a Constitutional Court decision which requires the separation of the two types of medical care paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to be regulated by law.

The change, proposed by Health Minister Petar Moskov as part of a health sector reform, aim to improve the management of financing extended by the deficit-ridden NHIF.

The draft bill establishes criteria for the separation, namely the urgency of medical care based on the severity of the medical condition, the government said in a statement following a weekly meeting on Wednesday.

The capability to provide health care to pregnant women and new mothers, as well as patients suffering from diseases and medical conditions that can lead to death or irreversible functional disability of vital organs and systems will be of key importance.

The basic package will comprise medical activities that need to be carried out without delay. The complementary package will include treatment of diagnosed diseases or medical conditions that do not lead to an immediate threat to life or permanent damage to health.