Evolution of Access to Health in Bulgaria over the last decade
20 April 2023, Sofia
The Executive Director of ARPharM delivered the "Evolution of Access to Health in Bulgaria over the last decade" presentation at the ISPOR Bulgaria chapter and ISPOR CEE Chapter 11th Adriatic Congress on Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research with Focus on CEE in Sofia.
In the past decade, access to healthcare in Bulgaria undoubtedly has improved. Public funding has doubled but remains significantly lower than the EU average. Out-of-pocket payments are quite high.
The number of hospital beds, outpatient centers, medical labs and doctors has increased. However, medical care remains unevenly distributed in the country and there is a severe shortage of nurses. Prevention and screening remain at a very low level.
Access to innovative pharmaceutical treatment has also improved. Public funding of pharmaceuticals has more than doubled but also dropped as a percentage of total public health spending due to growing industry's payback.
Bulgaria provides access to only 42 % of the new drugs authorized by EMA between 2014 and 2020 with a delay of more than 2 years following marketing authorization.