A new concept of the Ministry of Health provides for us to pay for medicines, which until now were covered entirely by the health insurance fund. The ideas of the experts are to have a fee for the preparations, which have so far been completely free. It is not yet clear how this will happen. One of the proposals is for the fee to be a percentage of the minimum wage and is assumed, that it will not exceed 2 – 3 BGN per prescription.
Thus, the main goal in the future will be for patients to give less for medicines, which are partially covered by the cash register. At the same time, however, the introduction of a tax on medicines is demanded, covered by the cash register.
Patients are people with different social status and this must be taken into account, if the idea of having a user fee for free medicines is accepted. One person, which is outside of social life, because the disease puts him in another social category, he cannot perform his duties and maintain such a standard of living, of which, if healthy, would be capable. That is why this fee must be very symbolic, if it is of the order of 1 – 2 leva, I think, that it will not be impossible for Bulgarian patients. Currently, there is no information about problems with cancer patients' drugs. If there are single problems somewhere, then the reasons there are already local. Medicines for cancer patients are free. There is no way for the state to fully take over the treatment of citizens, even that of children. I can't talk about all drugs in general. Each disease deserves to be commented on separately. But in principle, there can be no barriers between treatment and patients' ability to provide the necessary medication.