Chapter One
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. This Act regulates health insurance in the Republic of Bulgaria and the social relationships therein involved.
Article 2. (1) (New, SG No. 107/2002) Health insurance shall be an activity consisting of raising health insurance contributions and charging health insurance premiums, managing the resources raised, and spending the said resources on payment for health-care activities, services and goods as provided for in this Act, in the National Framework Agreement and in the voluntary health insurance contracts.
(2) (Previous Article 2, SG No. 107/2002) There shall be compulsory and voluntary health insurance.
Article 3. (1) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002, SG No. 105/2005) Compulsory health insurance shall be an activity comprehended in the raising of resources from compulsory social insurance contributions, fixed by statute, performed by the National Revenue Agency, the managing and the spending of the said resources on health-care activities, which shall be implemented by the National Health Insurance Fund and by the local divisions thereof, referred to as Regional Health Insurance Funds. Compulsory health insurance shall provide a basic package of health-care activities guaranteed by the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund.
(2) Voluntary health insurance shall be supplementary and shall be implemented by joint-stock companies, registered under the Commerce Act and licensed under the terms and according to the procedure established by this Act.

Chapter Two
COMPULSORY HEALTH INSURANCE

Section I
General Provisions
Article 4. (1) (Previous Article 4, amended, SG No. 107/2002) Compulsory health insurance shall guarantee to the insured persons free access to medical care by means of a package of health-care activities of a specific type, scope and amount, as well as a free choice of a provider of such care, who or which has concluded a contract with a Regional Health Insurance Fund.
(2) (New, SG No. 107/2002, effective 1.01.2004) The right of choice shall apply to the entire territory of Bulgaria and may not be restricted on geographic and/or administrative grounds.
Article 5. Compulsory health insurance shall be implemented in accordance with the principles of:
1. (Supplemented, SG No. 107/2002) compulsory participation in the raising of contributions;
2. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) participation of the State, the insurers and the employers in the management of the National Health Insurance Fund;
3. solidarity of the insurers in benefiting from the resources raised;
4. responsibility of the insureds for their own health;
5. non-discrimination in use of medical care;
6. (New, SG No. 107/2002) non-discrimination of medical care providers upon conclusion of contracts with the Regional Health Insurance Funds;
7. (Renumbered from Item 6, SG No. 107/2002) self-management of the National Health Insurance Fund;
8. (Renumbered from Item 7, SG No. 107/2002) contractual relationships between the National Health Insurance Fund and medical care providers;
9. (New, SG No. 107/2002) a basic package of health-care activities, guaranteed by the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund;
10. (New, SG No. 107/2002) free choice of medical care providers by the insureds;
11. (Renumbered from Item 8 and supplemented, SG No. 107/2002) public openness of the operation of the National Health Insurance Fund and public control over the expenditures incurred thereby.

Section II
National Health Insurance Fund
Article 6. (1) There shall be established a National Health Insurance Fund as a legal person with a registered office in Sofia and for the purpose of implementing compulsory health insurance.
(2) (Amended, SG No. 110/1999, SG No. 111/2004) The National Health Insurance Fund shall consist of a Head Office, of Regional Health Insurance Funds, and of divisions of the Regional Health Insurance Funds. The headquarters of the Regional Health Insurance Funds shall be determined according to a list adopted by the Council of Ministers, and the headquarters of the divisions thereof shall be determined by an order of the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund.
(3) (Amended, SG No. 110/1999) The National Health Insurance Fund shall be governed by the following authorities:
1. a Meeting of Representatives;
2. a Governing Board;
3. a Review Board;
4. a Director.
(5) The National Health Insurance Fund may not provide voluntary health insurance.
Article 7. (Amended, SG No. 69/1999, SG No. 107/2002) (1) The Meeting of Representatives shall be composed of a total of thirty-seven representatives of the insureds, the employers, the municipalities and the State.
(2) The quota of the insureds shall include six representatives of the representative trade union organizations and one representatives of the representative organizations for protection of patient rights, who shall be elected by the said organizations themselves.
(3) There shall be six representatives of the employers in the Meeting, and they shall be elected by the representative employer organizations.
(4) There shall be six representatives of the municipalities, and they shall be elected by the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria.
(5) (Supplemented, SG No. 112/2002) There shall be eighteen representatives of the State, and they shall be designated by the Council of Ministers, one of them mandatorily being the Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency.
(6) The representative trade union and employer organizations shall be recognized according to Article 3 of the Labour Code.
(7) The representative organizations for protection of patient rights shall be non-profit corporations satisfying the requirements established by Article 7a (1) herein.
(8) The representatives of the trade union organizations, of the employer organizations and of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria shall be designated by the governing bodies of the said organizations at the national level, the representative of the organizations for protection of patient rights shall be designated by the General Meeting of representatives of the organizations referred to in Paragraph (7), and the representatives of the State shall be designated by the Council of Ministers within one month prior to the expiration of the term of office of any incumbent Meeting of Representatives.
(9) The term of office of the Meeting of Representatives shall be four years.
Article 7a. (New, SG No. 107/2002) (1) To qualify as a representative organization for protection of patient rights, an organization must:
1. have as a purpose the protection of the rights and interests of all patients regardless of specific diseases, diagnoses and conditions;
2. be registered as a non-profit association for pursuit of public benefit activities within the meaning given by the Non-profit Legal Persons Act;
3. be nationally representative, having regional chapters established within the entire territory of Bulgaria.
(2) The governing bodies of any association referred to in Paragraph (1) may not include any officers of state bodies, bodies of local self-government and the local administration, employees of the National Health Insurance Fund, medical care providers, any members of managing and supervisory bodies of manufacturers, importers and traders in medicinal drugs, medicinal products and apparatus.
(3) The Ministry of Health and the other state bodies, the bodies of local self-government and the local administration and the National Health Insurance Fund shall render assistance to the associations for protection of patient rights. The said associations shall have the right:
1. to obtain information on drafts of statutory instruments concerning patient rights and interests;
2. to report to the controlling authorities under this Act on any instances of violation of patient rights, to require information on the inspections conducted, on the results of the said inspections, and on the action taken.
(4) The organizations referred to in Paragraph (1) may participate, through representatives thereof, in the work of advisory bodies, commissions and working groups with the authorities of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 8. The Meeting of Representatives shall perform the following functions:
1. adopt, supplement and amend the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund and cause the promulgation thereof in the State Gazette;
2. elect and remove the members of the Governing Board and of the Review Board, fix the remuneration thereof, and adopt rules of procedure therefore;
3. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) adopt rules for conduct of a competitive examination procedure for a director of the National Health Insurance Fund;
4. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) approve the draft of an annual National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act;
5. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) approve the annual financial statement, the budget implementation report and the National Health Insurance Fund activity report;
6. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) discharge the Governing Board from liability for the reporting period.
Article 9. (1) The Meeting of Representatives shall be called to an ordinary sitting at least once a year by the Governing Board with a written notice to the members of the Meeting. The said notice shall be published in the State Gazette and in two national daily newspapers. Any such notice must state the date of the meeting, which may not be earlier than 15 days after the date of publication in the State Gazette, the venue, the time, and the draft agenda. The materials on the draft agenda shall be dispatched by registered mail not later than ten days prior to the date of the meeting.
(2) The Meeting shall elect a chairperson and a secretary, who shall draw up a list of those present and shall sign the minutes of proceedings at the sitting.
Article 10. The Meeting of Representatives shall be called to an extraordinary sitting on the initiative of at least one third of the members thereof, of the chairpersons of the Governing Board or the Review Board, or on the requisition of at least one half plus one of the members of the said boards.
Article 11. (1) For the valid transaction of business at any sitting of the Meeting of Representatives, not less than two thirds of the members thereof shall have to attend. Unless the required quorum is present, the sitting shall stand adjourned to a time within two hours thereafter and shall proceed provided at least one half of the members are present.
(2) The Meeting of Representatives shall take action by a simple majority of those present, and the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds of those present shall be required for action on any matter covered under Items 1, 4 and 5 of Article 8 herein.
Article 12. (1) (Amended and supplemented, SG No. 107/2002) Membership in the Meeting of Representatives shall cease prior to the expiration of a member's term of office by resignation, upon objective inability to perform the duties thereof for a period longer than one year, upon occurrence of the grounds covered under Articles 18 and 21 herein, or by decision of the authorities covered under Article 7 herein.
(2) (Supplemented, SG No. 107/2002) Any seat in the Meeting as may fall vacant under Paragraph (1) or by a member's death shall be occupied by a replacement, elected according to the procedure established by Article 7 herein. Any such replacement shall remain in office until conclusion of the term of office of the Meeting of Representatives.
Article 13. Both members and non-members of the Meeting of Representatives shall be eligible for election to the Governing Board.
Article 14. (1) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) The Governing Board shall be elected for a term of three years. The said Board shall have nine members. They shall elect from amongst their number a Chairperson of the Governing Board.
(2) (New, SG No. 107/2002) Membership in the Governing Board shall cease prior to the expiration of a member's term of office by resignation, upon objective inability to perform the duties thereof for a period longer than one year, upon occurrence of the grounds covered under Articles 18 or 21 herein, or by resolution of the Meeting of Representatives.
(3) (New, SG No. 107/2002) Any seat on the Governing Board as may be vacated by a pre-term cessation of membership or by a member's death shall be occupied by a replacement, elected to serve for the remainder of the term of office of the Board.
(4) (Renumbered from Paragraph (2), SG No. 107/2002) The Governing Board shall hold ordinary meetings at least once every month.
(5) (Renumbered from Paragraph (3), SG No. 107/2002) The Governing Board may be called to an extraordinary meeting by the Chairperson thereof, by one third of the members thereof, by the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund, or by the Chairperson of the Review Board.
(6) (Renumbered from Paragraph (4), SG No. 107/2002) The Governing Board shall act in accordance with the law, the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund, and the Rules of Procedure of the Governing Board.
Article 15. (1) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) The Governing Board shall perform the following functions:
1. draft clauses amending and supplementing the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund, lay any such clauses before the Meeting of Representatives, and the cause the promulgation of any such clauses in the State Gazette;
2. draft, adopt and move for approval to the Meeting of Representatives Rules of Procedure of the Governing Board;
3. adopt, amend and supplement the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund on a motion by the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund;
4. prepare a draft of an annual National Health Insurance Fund Budget and introduce lay the said draft before the Meeting of Representatives for approval;
5. present to the Council of Ministers, care of the Minister of Health, the draft of an annual National Health Insurance Fund Budget as approved by the Meeting of Representatives;
6. adopt the budget implementation report and the National Health Insurance Fund activity report, lay the said reports before the Meeting of Representatives for approval and, upon approval, lay the said reports before the Council of Ministers care of the Minister of Health;
7. make decisions on conclusion of contracts for loan of money and on furnishing of security for any such contracts;
8. draft rules for the conduct of a competitive examination procedure for a Director of the National Health Insurance Fund, move the said rules to the Meeting of Representatives for adoption, and conduct the said competitive examination procedure, with the Chairperson of the Board concluding a management contract with the winning applicant for a term of three years;
9. establish eligibility requirements, rules for conduct of competitive examination procedures, and announce competitive examination procedures for directors of Regional Health Insurance Funds;
10. appoint representatives who, together with the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund, shall participate in the negotiations on drafting and revising the National Framework Agreement;
11. jointly with the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund, sign the National Framework Agreement and cause the promulgation thereof in the State Gazette;
12. exercise control over the day-to-day activity of the Director on implementation of the budget, performance of the National Framework Agreement, and the operation of the National Health Insurance Fund;
13. make decisions on disbursements from the reserve of the National Health Insurance Funds for additional health insurance payments;
14. make decisions on internal re-allocation of resources for administrative costs and of resources for acquisition of fixed assets within the limits set by the National Health Insurance Fund budget as endorsed;
15. make decisions on conclusion of transactions in excess of a value fixed by the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund.
(2) The Governing Board may take action if not less than two thirds of the members thereof are present and not fewer than five vote in favour.
(3) The members of the Governing Board shall be solidarily liable for any detriment culpably inflicted on the National Health Insurance Fund.
(4) The Director of the National Health Insurance Fund shall also attend the meetings of the Governing Board.
Article 16. Only members of the Meeting of Representative shall be eligible to the Review Board.
Article 17. (1) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) The Review Board shall be elected for a term of three years. The said Board shall have five members. They shall elect from amongst their number a Chairperson of the Review Board.
(2) The Review Board shall exercise overall supervision over the performance of the Governing Board, the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund, and the directors of the Regional Health Insurance Funds.
(3) The Review Board shall act in accordance with the effective legislation and with the rules and regulations of the National Health Insurance Fund.
(4) The Review Board shall meet at least once every three months and shall be convened by the Chairperson thereof or on the requisition of at least two of the members thereof. The said Board shall take action provided a quorum of four of the members thereof is present, by an open ballot and a simple majority of those present. Voting shall be obligatory.
(5) The members of the Review Board shall be limited to two terms of office.
Article 18. (1) The following persons shall be ineligible for membership in the Meeting of Representatives, the Governing Board, or the Review Board:
1. any National Representative or government minister;
2. any medical care provider under this Act;
3. any member of the governing or auditing bodies of other organizations which effect social insurance or carry on any other insurance business;
4. any Director of a Regional Health Insurance Fund, the spouse thereof, or any lineal or collateral relative thereof up to the fourth degree of consanguinity;
5. any former member of the managing or supervisory body of a commercial corporation, or any former general partner in a corporation which has been dissolved by reason of bankruptcy leaving any creditor unsatisfied;
6. any sole trader who has become bankrupt, leaving any creditor unsatisfied;
7. any person disqualified from holding a position of property accountability;
8. any person convicted of a premeditated offence at public law.
(2) One and the same person may not be concurrently member of the Governing Board and of the Review Board.
Article 19. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) (1) Eligibility for the office of Director of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be limited to persons who:
1. hold the educational qualification degree of Master, conferred thereon upon graduation from a higher educational establishment;
2. hold a Master's degree, or have attained specialist qualifications or possess licensed professional qualifications in Health Management;
3. possess at least three years of professional experience in the sphere of health-care management, banking, insurance, or social insurance.
(2) The management contract with a person qualified under Paragraph (1) shall be terminated prior to the expiration of the term of validity of the said contract by decision of the Governing Board on any of the following grounds:
1. death;
2. submission of a three months' advance notice of resignation by the Director;
3. entry into effect of a sentence for a premeditated offence at public law;
4. mutual accord;
5. ascertainment that the Director commits or suffers the commission of gross or systematic violations of the provisions regarding the principles of implementation of health insurance activity;
6. objective inability to discharge the duties thereof as Director.
(3) Upon pre-term termination of the term of office of a Director of the National Health Insurance Fund, the Governing Board shall designate a person possessing the qualifications required for the office of Director of the National Health Insurance Fund as acting holder of the said office until conduct of a competitive examination procedure. In such a case, the Chairperson of the Governing Board shall announce a competitive examination procedure within one month and shall conduct the said procedure within three months.
(4) The Director of the National Health Insurance Fund shall perform the following functions:
1. represent the National Health Insurance Fund inside Bulgaria and abroad;
2. organize and direct the day-to-day operation of the National Health Insurance Fund in accordance with the law, the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund, the resolutions of the Meeting of Representatives, the decisions of the Governing Board, and the management contract;
3. (new, SG No. 95/2006) endorse standard forms and other documents related to the conduct of compulsory health insurance in connection with the activities assigned to the National Health Insurance Fund, which are mandatory for all natural and legal persons;
4. (renumbered from Item 3, SG No. 95/2006) organize the conduct of competitive examination procedures for directors of Regional Health Insurance Funds, conclude, modify and terminate the contracts with the Deputy Directors of the National Health Insurance Fund, with the directors of Regional Health Insurance Funds, and with the employees at the Head Office of the National Health Insurance Fund;
5. (renumbered from Item 4, SG No. 95/2006) submit to the Governing Board a draft of an annual National Health Insurance Budget Act;
6. (renumbered from Item 5, SG No. 95/2006) conclude transactions up to a value fixed in the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund;
7. (renumbered from Item 6, SG No. 95/2006) move to the Governing Board a decision on any transactions in excess of the value referred to in Item 5 and a decision on use of resources from the reserve of the National Health Insurance Fund;
8. (renumbered from Item 7, SG No. 95/2006) jointly with the Governing Board, prepare a draft of Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund and provisions amending and supplementing the said Rules;
9. (renumbered from Item 8, SG No. 95/2006) submit to the Governing Board a draft of Rules of Organization and Operation of the Regional Health Insurance Funds;
10. (renumbered from Item 9, SG No. 95/2006) prepare a budget implementation report and a National Health Insurance Fund activity report and present the said reports to the Governing Board.
Article 19a. (New, SG No. 107/2002) (1) The National Health Insurance Fund shall have not fewer than three Deputy Directors, who shall assist the Director in the spheres of finance, medical activities and information technology activity, respectively.
(2) Eligibility for the office of Deputy Director of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be limited to persons possessing the following qualifications:
1. hold the educational qualification degree of Master, conferred thereon upon graduation from a higher educational establishment;
2. possess at least three years of relevant previous experience.
(3) The functions of the Deputy Directors shall be regulated in the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 20. The Director of any Regional Health Insurance Fund shall perform the following functions:
1. represent the National Health Insurance Fund at the local level within the powers thereto granted by the Governing Board of the National Health Insurance Fund;
2. organize and direct the operation of the Regional Health Insurance Fund in accordance with the law, the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund, the resolutions of the Meeting of Representatives, the decisions of the Governing Board and of the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund, and the Rules of Organization and Operation of the Regional Health Insurance Fund;
3. conclude, modify and terminate the contracts with the employees of the respective Regional Health Insurance Fund;
4. conclude, modify and terminate the contracts with medical care providers within the territory serviced by the Regional Health Insurance Fund in accordance with the law, the National Framework Agreement, and the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund and the Regional Health Insurance Fund, respectively.
Article 21. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) (1) The following persons shall be ineligible for appointment to the office of Director and Deputy Director of the National Health Insurance Fund:
1. any person not holding Bulgarian citizenship;
2. any interdict;
3. any person convicted of a premeditated offence at public law, or any person disqualified, according to the established procedure, from holding a position of property accountability;
4. any member of the Governing Board and of the Meeting of Representatives;
5. the spouse, or any lineal relative up to any degree of consanguinity, or any collateral relative up to the fourth degree of consanguinity, to any of the persons referred to in Item 4;
6. any sole trader, general partner in a commercial corporation, liquidator, business attorney, commercial agent, or managerial agent;
7. any member of a managing or supervisory body, or any shareholder of any commercial corporation whereof the objects are provision of voluntary health insurance;
8. any National Representative, government minister or deputy minister;
9. any municipality mayor;
10. any holder of a leadership or auditing position in any political party;
11. any person hired under an employment relationship, with the exception of tutors at a higher school.
(2) The Directors and the employees of the Regional Health Insurance Funds and the National Health Insurance Fund may not engage in any competitive activity and may not be medical care providers under this Act.

Section III
Financial Structure of the National Health Insurance Fund
Article 22. (1) (Previous Article 22, SG No. 102/2005) The budget of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be a financial master plan for raising and disbursing of the cash resources of compulsory health insurance and shall be separated from the state budget.
(2) (New, SG No. 102/2005, amended, SG No. 105/2006) The annual value of the expenditures for the types of medical care paid by the National Health Insurance Fund shall constitute an integral part of the National Health Insurance Fund for the respective year.
(3) (New, SG No. 102/2005, repealed, SG No. 113/2007).
Article 23. (1) The revenues of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be raised from:
1. insurance contributions;
2. (new, SG No. 113/2007) transfers from budget institutions, within the meaning of § 1 of the supplementary provision of the Accountancy Act, for insurance instalments of the persons referred to in Article 40, paragraph 1, items 4 and 8 and paragraphs 2 and 3;
3. (renumbered from Item 2, SG No. 113/2007) interest income and income from the management of the property of the National Health Insurance Fund;
4. (renumbered from Item 3, SG No. 113/2007) income credited to health insurance by virtue of other statutes;
5. (renumbered from Item 4, SG No. 113/2007) refunds of insurance expenses made in the instances prescribed in the relevant statutory instruments;
6. (renumbered from Item 5, SG No. 113/2007) proceeds from fines and penalty interest;
7. (renumbered from Item 6, SG No. 113/2007) fees fixed in a rate schedule by the Council of Ministers;
8. (renumbered from Item 7, SG No. 113/2007) portions of the residual distribution of the assets of debtor commercial corporations which have been declared in liquidation;
9. (new, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union, renumbered from Item 8, SG No. 113/2007) action subsidies from the State budget for fulfilment of obligations which arise from the application of the rules for coordination of social security schemes;
10. (renumbered from Item 8, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union, renumbered from Item 9, SG No. 113/2007) donations, legacies and devises;
11. (amended, SG No. 59/2006, renumbered from Item 9, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union, renumbered from Item 10, SG No. 113/2007) other sources, including subsidies (transfers) from the executive budget, inter alia through the budget of the Ministry of Health under Item 2 of Article 82 (1) of the Health Act.
(2) (Amended, SG No. 110/1999) In the event of a deficiency of resources, short-term interest-free loans may be contracted from the Executive Budget, or resources may be obtained on credit from other institutions.
Article 24. The resources of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be disbursed on:
1. payment for medical care as specified in Article 45 herein, as contracted by the National Framework Agreement and by the contracts with the providers;
2. (amended, SG No. 113/2007) administrative costs of health insurance activities, as amounting to 3% of the expenditures for the respective year laid down by the National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act;
3. (new, SG No. 113/2007) issuance of documents referred to in Article 80a, paragraph 1;
4. (renumbered from Item 3, SG No. 113/2007) publishing activities, within the limits of the administrative costs of health insurance activities of the National Health Insurance Fund;
5. (renumbered from Item 4, SG No. 113/2007) acquisition of movable and immovable property and other investment expenses for the needs of the National Health Insurance Fund;
6. (new, SG No. 1/2002, amended, SG No. 105/2005, renumbered from Item 5, SG No. 113/2007) fees for servicing the collection of health insurance contribution by the National Revenue Agency;
7. (new, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union, renumbered from Item 6, SG No. 113/2007) medical care provided in accordance with the rules for coordination of social security schemes;
8. (renumbered from Item 5, SG No. 1/2002, renumbered from Item 6, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union, renumbered from Item 7, SG No. 113/2007) other expenses.
Article 25. The National Health Insurance Fund shall mandatorily form a reserve.
Article 26. (1) The reserve of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be raised from:
1. (amended, SG No. 107/2002, SG No. 113/2007) 10% of the collected revenue from health insurance instalments and the transfers for health insurance instalments from other budgets;
2. income from other sources.
(2) The resources in the reserve shall be used to pay expenses incurred in the event of significant departures from the uniform disbursement of resources, or of a local imbalance in the demand for medical care.
(3) (Repealed, SG No. 107/2002).
Article 27. (1) (Repealed, SG No. 107/2003).
(2) Any temporarily inactive resources and the resources in the reserve of the National Health Insurance Fund may be deposited on bank accounts or invested in government securities.
(3) The banks entitled to handle the resources of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be designated jointly by the Bulgarian National Bank and the Ministry of Finance. Among such banks as designated by the Bulgarian National Bank and the Ministry of Finance, the Governing Board of the National Health Insurance Fund shall select such whereto it shall entrust the right to handle the resources of National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 28. The Director of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be a first-level spending unit for the resources of the National Health Insurance Fund, and the directors of the regional health insurance funds shall be second-level spending units for the said resources.
Article 29. (1) (Supplemented, SG No. 107/2002) Care of the Minister of Health, the Governing Board of the National Health Insurance Fund shall lay a draft of a National Health Insurance Budget Act before the Council of Ministers within the time limit provided for submission of the draft of a State Budget of the Republic of Bulgaria Act for the next succeeding calendar year.
(2) (Amended, SG No. 110/1999) The draft of an annual National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act shall be debated by the National Assembly simultaneously with the drafts of a State Budget Act and of a Public Social Insurance Budget Act.
(3) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) The National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act shall furthermore mandatorily set forth the rate of the compulsory health insurance contribution, the revenues and expenditures according to the budget classification, as well as the expenses on health insurance payments disaggregated for:
1. (Amended, SG No. 119/2002) primary non-hospital medical care;
2. specialist non-hospital medical care;
3. dental care;
4. medical diagnostic imaging activities;
5. (Amended and supplemented, SG No. 111/2004) medicinal drugs for treatment at home, medical goods and dietetic foods for special medical purposes;
6. hospital medical care;
7. other health insurance payments as provided for in the National Framework Agreement.
8. (new, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) medical care provided in accordance with the rules for coordination of social security schemes.
(4) (New, SG No. 110/1999) Should the draft of a National Health Insurance Budget Act be not passed by the National Assembly until the commencement of the budget year, the insurance revenues shall be collected and the insurance expenses shall be made in conformity with the budget for the last preceding year as endorsed, and up to one-twelfth of the expenses, provided for in the budget for the last preceding year, shall be spent on the maintenance of the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 30. (1) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) Care of the Council of Ministers, the annual budget implementation report and the National Health Insurance activity report shall be laid before the National Assembly by the Governing Board on or before the 30th day of June in the year next succeeding the report year.
(2) (Supplemented, SG No. 107/2002) The National Assembly resolution to adopt the budget implementation report and the National Health Insurance Fund activity report shall be promulgated in the State Gazette.
Article 31. The National Health Insurance Fund may not own any medical offices, laboratories, health-care facilities or pharmacies.
Article 32. (Repealed, SG No. 153/1998, new, SG No. 59/2006) The National Health Insurance Fund shall implement the collection, processing and control of the reports of the medical-treatment facilities for hospital care in respect of the activities subject to the National Framework Agreement.

Section IV
Insured Persons. Rights and Obligations
Article 33. (1) (Amended, SG No. 110/1999, redesignated from Article 33, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) The following shall be covered by compulsory insurance provided by the National Health Insurance Fund:
1. all Bulgarian citizens who are not citizens of another State as well;
2. all Bulgarian citizens who are citizens of another State as well and reside permanently within the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria;
3. (amended, SG No. 18/2006) all foreign citizens or stateless persons who have been permitted long-term residence in the Republic of Bulgaria, save as otherwise provided by an international treaty whereto the Republic of Bulgaria is a party;
4. (supplemented, SG No. 54/2002) all persons who have been recognized refugee status or humanitarian status or who has been afforded a right of asylum (in Bulgaria);
5. (new, SG No. 18/2006) Foreign students and PhD fellows in Bulgarian universities and scientific institutes pursuant to Decree of the Council of Ministers No. 103 of 1993 concerning the organization of education among Bulgarians abroad (published in SG No. 48/1993, amended No. 52/1999, No. 54/1995, No. 20/1996, No. 38 and 73/1999, No. 101/2002, No. 89/2004) and Decree of the Council of Ministers No. 228/1997 for admitting citizens of the Republic of Macedonia to state universities in the Republic of Bulgaria (published SG No. 42/1997, amended No. 72/1999, No. 101/2002).
6. (new, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) persons other than such referred to in Items 1 to 5, in respect of whom the legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria is applied according to the rules for coordination of social security schemes.
(2) (New, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) The persons who, according to the rules for coordination of social security schemes, are subject to health insurance in another Member State, shall not be covered by compulsory insurance provided by the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 34. (1) The health insurance obligation shall arise as follows:
1. in respect of all Bulgarian citizens: as of the date of entry into force of this Act, and in respect of such citizens newly born thereafter: as of the date of birth;
2. (amended, SG No. 107/2002, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) in respect of all persons covered under Item 3 of Article 33 (1) herein: as of the date of receipt of a permanent residence permit;
3. (amended, SG No. 54/2002, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) in respect of all persons covered under Item 4 of Article 33 (1) herein: as of the date of initiation of a procedure for recognition of refugee status or for affording a right of asylum;
4. (new, SG No. 18/2006, amended, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) in respect of all persons covered under Item 5 of Article 33 (1) herein: since the date of enrolment at the relevant higher school or research organization;
5. (new, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) in respect of all persons covered under Item 6 of Article 33 (1) herein: as from the date of occurrence of the grounds for insurance.
(2) (Supplemented, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) The rights of the insureds covered under Article 33 (1) herein shall arise as follows:
1. in respect of the newly born: as of the date of birth;
2. (new, SG No. 54/2002, amended, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) in respect of the persons covered under Item 4 of Article 33 (1): as of the date of initiation of a procedure for recognition of refugee status or for affording a right of asylum;
3. (new, SG No. 18/2006, amended, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) in respect of all persons covered under Item 5 of Article 33 (1) herein: as of the date of enrolment in the relevant higher school or research organization.
4. (renumbered from Item 2, SG No. 54/2002, renumbered from Item 3, SG No. 18/2006) in respect of all others: as of the date of payment of the health insurance contribution.
(3) The rights of an insured shall be personal and may not be ceded (transferred).
Article 35. Any person covered by compulsory (health) insurance shall be entitled:
1. (amended, SG No. 107/2002) to receive medical care within the scope of the basic package of health-care activities guaranteed by the budget of the National Health Insurance;
2. to choose a medical care provider who or which has concluded a contract with the regional health insurance fund;
3. to receive emergency care wherever he or she may be;
4. to obtain information from the Regional Health Insurance Fund about the contracts concluded by the said fund with the medical care providers;
5. to participate in the management of the National Health Insurance Fund through own representatives thereof;
6. to lodge complaints with the Director of the competent Regional Health Insurance Fund about any violation of the law or breach of contract.
7. (new, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) to obtain a document required for exercise of the health insurance entitlement thereof in accordance with the rules for coordination of social security schemes.
Article 36. (1) Any person covered by compulsory (health) insurance shall have the right to receive partial or full reimbursement for any expenses incurred thereby on medical care abroad solely where advance permission therefore has been obtained from the National Health Insurance Fund.
(2) Permission under Paragraph (1) shall be granted solely in respect of the types of medical care which are not provided in Bulgaria, according to the procedure established by Articles 78 and 79 herein.
Article 37. (1) Any person covered under Article 33 herein shall pay the physician, dentist or health-care facility (providing medical care thereto) the following fees:
1. for each visit to a dentist's or physician's office: 1 per cent of the national minimum (monthly) wage;
2. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) for each day of hospital treatment: 2 per cent of the national minimum (monthly) wage, but not more than ten days annually.
(2) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The fees referred to in Paragraph (1) shall be for the medical care as delivered.
(3) (Renumbered from Paragraph 2, supplemented, SG No. 107/2002, amended, SG No. 120/2002, supplemented, SG No. 17/2006, amended, SG No. 46/2007) Exemption from payment of the fees under Paragraph (1) shall be granted to any person suffering from a disease as designated in a list appended to the National Framework Agreement, as well as to any family member who has not attained the age of 14, or who has attained the age of 14 but has not attained the age of 18, or who is a dependant; to any person who has sustained an injury in the course of or in connection with national defence, to any war veteran and war-disabled; to any person remanded in custody or any person arrested under Article 63 of the Ministry of Interior Act or persons deprived of his or her liberty; to any indigent receiving income support under the Regulations for Application of the Social Assistance Act ; to any person without an income, who has been placed in a child-care home, in a preschool child-care home, or in a public-care institution; and to any medical specialist.
(4) (Renumbered from Paragraph (3), SG No. 107/2002) Any physician, dentist or health-care facility (providing medical care) shall issue any person covered under Paragraph (1) a receipt for any fees paid.
Article 38. Any insured shall be obligated to follow the directions of the medical care providers and to fulfil the requirements of disease prevention in accordance with the National Framework Agreement and the contracts concluded with the providers.
Article 39. (Amended, SG No. 110/1999) (1) (Supplemented, SG No. 111/2004, amended, SG No. 105/2005, SG No. 95/2006) Any person which or who is under obligation to remit health insurance contributions under this Act, with the exception of any persons referred to in Article 40 (5) herein, shall be obligated to provide the National Revenue Agency territorial directorates with particulars regarding the insured persons each month as from the occurrence of the grounds for health insurance by means of submission of declarations completed in a standard form endorsed by the National Revenue Agency and the National Health Insurance Fund.
(2) (Amended, SG No. 105/2005) Any persons, paying health insurance for members of the family thereof under this Act, shall provide particulars regarding any such members by means of submission of declarations completed in a standard form endorsed by the National Revenue Agency and the National Health Insurance Fund.
(3) (Supplemented, SG No. 111/2004, amended, SG No. 105/2005) In the cases where the persons referred to in Paragraph (1) prepay contributions under this Act, the said persons shall complete a declaration covering the period of prepayment in a standard form endorsed by the National Revenue Agency and the National Health Insurance Fund.
(4) Any foreigners staying for a short term in the Republic of Bulgaria, as well as any persons holding dual Bulgarian and foreign nationality, who are not covered by health insurance according to the procedure established by this Act, shall pay the value of the medical care delivered thereto unless an international treaty, whereto the Republic of Bulgaria is a party, applies to any such persons.

Section V
Health Insurance Contributions
Article 40. (Amended, SG No. 110/1999, supplemented, SG No. 64/2002, amended, SG No. 1/2002, supplemented, SG No. 74/2002, amended, SG No. 107/2002, SG No. 119/2002, effective 1.01.2003) (1) The health insurance contributions in respect of any insured person, due at a rate set according to the procedure established by Article 29 (3) herein, shall be charged on an income arrived at as follows and shall be remitted as follows:
1. (supplemented, SG No. 111/2004, amended and supplemented, SG No. 105/2006) in respect of any person deriving income from employment relationships, civil-service relationships or legal relationships which have arisen in pursuance of special statutes, working under contracts for management and control of commercial corporations, any persons covered under Item 8 of Article 4 (1) of the Social Insurance Code, and any member of a cooperative receiving a remuneration from the said cooperation: the income whereon public social insurance contributions are remitted, arrived at according to the Social Insurance Code; payment of any such (health insurance) contribution shall be shared between the employer or the central-government department and by the insured in the following ratio:
- in 2000 and 2001: 80 to 20;
- in 2002 to 2004: 75 to 25;
- in 2005: 70 to 30;
- in 2006: 65 to 35;
- in 2007: 65 to 35;
- in 2008: 60 to 40;
- in 2009: 55 to 45;
- in 2010 and thereafter: 50 to 50:
(a) the (health) insurance contributions shall be entirely for the account of the employer or the central-government department, where so provided for in a statute;
(b) (amended, SG No. 49/2004, effective 1.01.2005) in respect of any persons on unpaid leave, who are not subject to health insurance on another ground, the (health insurance) contribution shall be charged on one half of the minimum amount of contributory income applicable to self-insured persons, as fixed by the Public Social Insurance Budget Act; the said contribution shall be paid entirely for the account of the insured person where the unpaid leave has been granted at the request of the said person, and for the account of the employer, where the unpaid leave is for child care or due to production necessity and idling; the said contribution shall be remitted care of the relevant enterprise or organization prior to the end of the month next succeeding the month wherefore the said contribution is due;
(c) (amended, SG No. 105/2006) the insurance instalments for health insurance shall be deposited simultaneously with the security instalments for the state social security;
(d) (new, SG No. 50/2003, repealed, SG No. 46/2007).
2. (amended, SG No. 49/2004, effective 1.01.2005, supplemented, SG No. 105/2006) any sole trader, any natural person who has formed a single-member limited liability company, any partner in a commercial corporation, and any person registered as practitioner of a liberal profession and/or a skilled craft, shall be charged health insurance contributions on a monthly income which may not be lower than the minimum amount of contributory income applicable to such self-insured persons as fixed by the Public Social Insurance Budget Act, and annually on the income accruing from the activity and the income covered under Item 3, according to the reference brief with the tax return according to the procedure established by Article 6 (8) of the Social Insurance Code; any registered agricultural producer and tobacco grower shall be charged health insurance contributions on a contributory income fixed by the Social Insurance Code; any registered agricultural producer and tobacco grower producing unprocessed plant and/or animal produce shall not establish a final amount of contributory income in respect of such activity. The instalments shall be deposited up to the 10th date of the month, following the month, to which they refer;
3. (amended, SG No. 111/2004, effective 1.01.2005) in respect of any persons who work without entering into an employment relationship:
(a) (amended, SG No. 113/2007) if the said persons are not charged health insurance contributions according to the procedure established by Items 1 and 2 and receive a remuneration equal to or exceeding the national minimum wage: on the taxable income, after debiting the said income with the expenses allowed for standard deduction; where the remuneration received does not exceed the national minimum wage, after debiting the said remuneration with the expenses allowed for standard deduction, health insurance contributions shall be charged according to the procedure established by Paragraph (5);
(b) if the said persons are not charged health insurance contributions according to the procedure established by Item 1, the health insurance contributions shall be remitted on the taxable income, after debiting the said income with the expenses allowed for standard deduction, regardless of the amount of the remuneration received;
(c) the health insurance contributions shall be remitted in the ratio under Item 1 by the client on or before the 10th day of the month next succeeding the month wherefore the said contributions are due;
4. in respect of any pensioner: the amount of the pension or the sum total of the pensions less the supplements thereto; any such (health insurance) contributions shall be for the account of the Executive Budget and shall be remitted on or before the 10th day of the month next succeeding the month wherefore the said contributions are due;
5. (amended, SG No. 105/2006) for the persons, temporarily unemployed because of illness, pregnancy or delivery and taking care of a small child - the minimal insurance income for the self insured persons, the instalments are at the expense of the employer and are equal to the part of the instalment due by him, and shall be deposited simultaneously with the payment of the monthly remuneration; the insurance instalments for the persons, who insure themselves at their expense, shall be in the same amount and shall be deposited up to the 10th date of the month to which they refer, on the minimal insurance income for the self insured, respectively for the registered agricultural producers and tobacco producers, determined by the State Social Security Budget Act for the relevant year.
6. in respect of any person deriving income from various sources specified in Items 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the (health insurance) contributions shall be charged on the sum total of the contributory incomes and shall be remitted within the time limits provided therefore according to the procedure established by Article 6 (10) of the Social Insurance Code;
7. (amended, SG No. 111/2004) in respect of any minister of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and any other religion recognized according to a statutorily established procedure, who do not receive remunerations for activity performed: the minimum contributory income applicable to self-insured persons, as fixed by the Public Social Insurance Budget Act; any such (health insurance) contributions shall be remitted by the central governing body of the respective religion on or before the 10th day of the month next succeeding the month wherefore the said contributions are due;
8. in respect of any recipient of unemployment benefit: the amount of the benefit as paid; any such (health insurance) contributions shall be for the account of the Unemployment Fund and shall be remitted on or before the 10th day of the month next succeeding the month wherefore the said contributions are due.
(2) (New, SG No. 95/2006) The following shall be insured for the account of the Executive Budget: the war veterans and the war-disabled; the persons who have been disabled in the course of, or in connection with, national defence, during performance of compulsory military service, in natural disasters or accidents; the officers of the Ministry of Interior who have sustained an injury in the line of duty and the civil servants.
(3) (Renumbered from Paragraph (2), SG No. 95/2006) The following shall be insured for the account of the Executive Budget, unless insured according to the procedure established by Paragraph (1):
1. (supplemented, SG No. 119/2002) any person who has not attained the age of 18 years, if attending school as a full-time pupil: until completion of secondary education;
2. any full-time student enrolled in a higher school until attainment of the age of 26 years, and any full-time doctoral candidate enrolled within the state quota;
3. (new, SG No. 18/2006) foreign students - below the age of 26 and the PhD fellows in universities and research institutes pursuant to Decree of the Council of Ministers No. 103 of 1993 concerning the organization of education among Bulgarians abroad and Decree of the Council of Ministers No 228/1997 for admitting citizens of the Republic of Macedonia to state universities in the Republic of Bulgaria;
4. (renumbered from Item 3, SG No. 18/2006, repealed, SG No. 46/2007);
5. (supplemented, SG No. 119/2002, amended, SG No. 111/2004, renumbered from Item 4, SG No. 18/2006) any citizens who are responsive to the eligibility requirements for receipt of monthly social assistance benefits and of target benefits for heating according to the procedure established by the Social Assistance Act, unless insured on another ground, as well as those placed in specialized institutions for social services;
6. (renumbered from Item 5, SG No. 18/2006) any person remanded in custody or any person deprived of his or her liberty;
7. (renumbered from Item 6, SG No. 18/2006) any person in respect of whom a procedure for recognition of refugee status or for affording a right of asylum has been initiated;
8. (renumbered from Item 7, SG No. 18/2006, repealed, SG No. 95/2006);
9. (renumbered from Item 8, SG No. 18/2006) any parents, adopters or spouses taking care of disabled persons who have lost more than 90 per cent of the working ability thereof and who require constant attendance;
10. (new, SG No. 111/2004, renumbered from Item 9, SG No. 18/2006) the spouses of career service persons participating in international operations and missions: for the period of the mission and, applicable to persons receiving compensations under Article 233 of the Republic of Bulgaria Defence and Armed Forces Act, for the period of receipt of any such compensation.
(4) (Amended, SG No. 111/2004, SG No. 18/2006, renumbered from Paragraph (3), SG No. 95/2006, amended, SG No. 113/2007) In respect of each of the persons covered under Item 1 of Paragraph (3), the (health) insurance contribution shall be at the rate of 3 per cent of the minimum contributory income applicable to self-insured persons. In respect of each of the persons covered under Items 2 to 10 of Paragraph (3), the (health) insurance contribution shall be remitted at the rate fixed by the
National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act on one half of the minimum contributory income applicable to self-insured persons.
(5) (Supplemented, SG No. 49/2004, effective 1.01.2005, renumbered from Paragraph (4), SG No. 95/2006, amended, SG No. 113/2007) Any persons, who are not subject to health insurance under Paragraphs (1), (2) and (3), shall be charged health insurance contributions on a contributory income not lower than one half of the minimum amount of contributory income applicable to self-insured persons, as fixed by the Public Social Insurance Budget Act. Any such contributions shall be remitted on or before the 10th day of the month next succeeding the month wherefore the said contributions are due. Any such persons shall effect annual balancing of the contributory income according to the data stated in the tax return.
(6) (Renumbered from Paragraph (5), SG No. 95/2006) The maximum amount of the monthly income whereon the health insurance contribution shall be computed shall be the maximum income fixed by the Public Social Insurance Budget Act.
(7) (Renumbered from Paragraph (6), SG No. 95/2006) In respect of any person covered under Item 6 of Paragraph (1), the (health insurance) contributions shall be remitted on the sum total of contributory incomes according to the procedure provided for the relevant type of income but on not more than the maximum amount of the contributory income as fixed by the Public Social Insurance Budget Act.
Article 40a. (New, SG No. 111/2004) (1) (Amended SG No. 105/2005) Any Bulgarian citizens, including such holding dual nationality, who are obligated to pay health insurance in respect of themselves and who reside abroad for more than 183 days within a calendar year, need not pay health insurance contributions until the end of the relevant calendar year, reckoned from the date of departure from Bulgaria, and for each succeeding calendar year after an application submitted in advance to the National Revenue Agency.
(2) Any persons referred to in Paragraph (1) shall be reinstated to the health insurance entitlement thereof upon the lapse of six successive months after the return of any such persons to Bulgaria during which the person has been charged health insurance contributions according to the procedure established by Article 40 herein.
(3) Outside the cases under Paragraph (2), any persons referred to in Paragraph (1) may be reinstated to the health insurance entitlement thereof after the return thereof to Bulgaria upon payment of a lump sum amounting to 12 health insurance contributions, at a rate set according to the procedure established by Article 29 (3) herein, charged on the minimum monthly amount of contributory income applicable to self-insured persons as fixed by the Public Social Insurance Budget Act at the time of remittance of the contributions.
(4) The amounts referred to in Paragraph (3) shall be remitted according to the procedure established by Article 41 herein.
(5) Until reinstatement to the entitlement, the persons referred to in Paragraph (1) shall pay the value of the medical care delivered thereto in Bulgaria to the providers.
Article 41. (Amended and supplemented, SG No. 67/1999, amended, SG No. 110/1999) (1) (Amended, SG No. 105/2005) The insurance contributions under this Act shall be credited to the accounts whereon health insurance contributions are raised at the territorial directorates of the National Revenue Agency, wherefrom the said contributions shall be transferred daily to the account of the Head Office of the National Revenue Agency whereon health insurance contributions are raised.
(2) (Amended, SG No. 105/2005) The amounts of health insurance contributions, collected at the National Revenue Agency, shall be transferred to the resource-raising account of the National Health Insurance Fund at the end of each working day.
Article 42. (1) (Amended, SG No. 110/1999, SG No. 95/2006, effective 1.01.2007) The contributory income, whereupon the [health insurance] contribution shall be computed, shall be ascertained according to pay-rolls and other documents on remunerations paid, according to pension records, cashed-in medical certificates, paid unemployment benefits and according to the tax returns under the Income Taxes on Natural Persons Act.
(2) The health insurance contribution shall be exempt from taxation.
(3) (Amended, SG No. 110/1999, SG No. 107/2002, SG No. 95/2006, effective 1.01.2007) The annual return under the Income Taxes on Natural Persons Act shall show the health insurance contributions paid during the year and the amounts due upon annual balancing, if any such amounts are established.
(4) (New, SG No. 110/1999, amended, SG No. 105/2005) The employers, the municipal authorities, the central-government departments, the contracting enterprises and organizations and the self-insured shall be obligated to submit the requisite information under Article 42 (1) and (3) herein to the National Revenue Agency and to the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 43. (Amended, SG No. 110/1999, SG No. 107/2002, SG No. 113/2007) Any (health) insureds, referred to in Item 2 and sentence three of Item 5 of Article 40 (1) and in Article 40 (5) herein, may prepay the health insurance contributions for a time period of their choice.
Article 44. (Amended, SG No. 110/1999) The (health insurance) contributions shall be paid by any of the following modes:
1. by bank transfer;
2. by postal money order.

Section VI
Scope of Medical Care Covered by Compulsory Health Insurance
Article 45. (1) The National Health Insurance Fund shall pay for delivery of the following types of medical care:
1. disease prevention procedures performed by physicians and dentists;
2. procedures performed by physicians and dentists for the purpose of early disease detection;
3. non-hospital and hospital medical care for the purpose of disease detection and treatment;
4. rehabilitative care;
5. urgent medical care;
6. maternity care during pregnancy, childbirth and maternity;
7. (new, SG No. 59/2006) medical care under Item 2 of Article 82 (1) of the Health Act;
8. (renumbered from Item 7, SG No. 59/2006) therapeutic abortion and abortion in case of pregnancy resulting from rape;
9. (supplemented, SG No. 110/1999, renumbered from Item 8, SG No. 59/2006) dental and dental mechanic care;
10. (renumbered from Item 9, SG No. 59/2006) nursing care at home;
11. (amended, SG No. 107/2002, renumbered from Item 10, SG No. 59/2006) prescription and dispensation of medicinal drugs, licensed for use, provided for treatment at home;
12. (new, SG No. 111/2004, renumbered from Item 11, SG No. 59/2006) prescription and dispensation of medical goods and dietetic foods for special medical purposes;
13. (renumbered from Item 11, SG No. 111/2004, renumbered from Item 12, SG No. 59/2006) medical expert certification of working ability;
14. (renumbered from Item 12, SG No. 111/2004, renumbered from Item 13, SG No. 59/2006) transportation services on medical indications.
(2) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) The medical care covered under Paragraph (1), with the exception of Item 10, shall be defined as a basic package guaranteed by the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund. The basic package shall be determined by an ordinance of the Minister of Health.
(3) (New, SG No. 107/2002, amended, SG No. 111/2004) The Minister of Health shall issue an ordinance determining a list of diseases for whose treatment at home medicinal drugs, medical goods and dietetic foods for special medical purposes shall be fully or partly reimbursable by the National Health Insurance Fund.
(4) (New, SG No. 107/2002, amended, SG No. 28/2004, repealed, SG No. 31/2007).
(5) (New, SG No. 107/2002, amended, SG No. 28/2004, repealed, SG No. 31/2007).
(6) (New, SG No. 28/2004, repealed, SG No. 31/2007).
(7) (New, SG No. 111/2004, repealed, SG No. 31/2007).
(8) (New, SG No. 111/2004, amended, SG No. 31/2007) The terms and conditions for the payment of medicinal products on the Positive Drug List under Art. 262 of the Medicinal Products in Human Medicine Act, of medical products and of dietary food for special medical purposes shall be regulated in an Ordinance of the Minister of Health.
Article 46. (1) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) The procedure for provision and the requirements to the providers of the separate types of medical care covered under Article 45 herein shall be specified in the National Framework Agreement and in the contracts between the Regional Health Insurance Funds and the providers.
(2) (Amended and supplemented, SG No. 107/2002) The quality of medical care delivered, which is paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund, must satisfy the national medical standards and the rules of good medical practice.
(3) The rules of good medical practice shall include requirements for prompt, sufficient and high-quality medical care.
Article 47. Payment for any medical care delivered to any insured person shall be effected by the Regional Health Insurance Fund to the provider who or which delivered the said care.
Article 48. The National Health Insurance Fund shall periodically inform the (health) insureds about any measures to protect and restore their health.
Article 49. (Amended, SG No. 70/2004) Should medical controllers detect any conditions of work or other harmful environmental factors which pose a health hazard to the insureds, the said controllers shall immediately notify the employer, the occupational safety authorities, the state health control, the state veterinary control and the environmental protection authorities so as to take appropriate action.
Article 50. When use of medical care, the (health) insureds shall be obligated to present their health insurance card or any other documentary proof of contributions paid.
Article 51. No medical care beyond the scope of Article 45 herein or other than such contracted in the National Framework Contract shall be paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 52. Any persons uninsured under this Act shall pay for any medical care thereto delivered.

Section VII
National Framework Agreement
Article 53. (1) (Previous text of Article 53 - SG No. 113/2007, effective 1.12.2007) A National Framework Agreement shall be signed for performance of the activities provided for in this Act.
(2) (New, SG No. 113/2007, effective 1.12.2007) The National Framework Contract (NFC) referred to in paragraph 1 shall be executed not later than the date when the draft National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act for the respective year was submitted for consideration to the National Assembly.
Article 54. (1) The National Framework Agreement shall be drafted and signed by ten representatives of the National Health Insurance Fund and ten representatives of the physicians and dentists professional organizations. The status of the physicians and dentists professional organizations and the procedure for designation of representatives therefore for the drafting and signing of the National Framework Agreement shall be regulated by separate statute.
(2) The members of the Governing Board and the Director of the Head Office shall be the representatives of the National Health Insurance Fund who shall sign the National Framework Agreement.
(3) To be concluded, the National Framework Agreement must be signed by not fewer than eight representatives of the National Health Insurance Fund and eight representatives of the physicians and dentists professional organizations. The said Agreement shall be countersigned by the Minister of Health.
Article 55. (1) Annually, the representatives of the National Health Insurance Fund and the representatives of the physicians and dentists professional organizations shall draft a National Framework Agreement for the next succeeding year.
(2) The National Framework Agreement shall specify:
1. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) the conditions which the medical care providers must satisfy, as well as the procedure for conclusion of contracts therewith;
2. the separate types of medical care covered under Article 45 herein;
3. the terms and a procedure for delivery of the care referred to in Item 2;
4. the amount, prices and methods of payment for the care referred to in Item 2;
5. the quality and affordability of the medical care agreed;
6. the documentation and the document flow;
7. (amended, SG No. 107/2002, SG No. 111/2004, SG No. 31/2007) the lists of medical products and dietary foods for special medical purposes and the prices up to which the NHIF shall provide full or partial payment; the conditions for prescription and obtainment of drugs, medical products and dietary foods for special medical purposes.
8. the obligations of the parties to provide and exchange information;
9. the terms and a procedure for verifying performance of contracts;
10. any other matters relevant to health insurance;
11. penalties for breach of the agreement.
(3) (Repealed, SG No. 102/2005, new, SG No. 105/2006, Declared unconstitutional by Judgment No. 3/13.03.2007 of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Bulgaria - SG No. 26/2007, new, SG No. 113/2007, effective 1.12.2007) If the NFC has not been executed in compliance with the terms and conditions and the time limit laid down in this Act, as of 1 January of the respective year, for which no NFC is executed, the following shall apply:
1. the provisions stipulated by paragraph 2, items 3, 5, 8 - 11 of the NFC effective in the previous year;
2. the conditions as per paragraph 2, items 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 set by the Governing Board of the National Health Insurance Fund.
(4) (New, SG No. 105/2006) The prices and amounts for payment of the care in the cases referred to in Paragraph (3) shall be determined according to the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund for the relevant year.
(5) (Supplemented, SG No. 107/2002, renumbered from Paragraph (4), SG No. 105/2006) The National Framework Agreement may be modified according to the procedure established by Article 54 (1) herein on a motion by any of the negotiating parties, but not more than once in six months, as well as upon any revision of the ordinance referred to in Article 45 (2) herein.
(6) (Renumbered from Paragraph (5), SG No. 105/2006, amended, SG No. 113/2007, effective 1.12.2007) The National Framework Contract and the decisions of the Governing Board of the National Health Insurance Fund under paragraph 3, item 2 shall be promulgated in the State Gazette and shall have an obligatory effect for the National Health Insurance Fund, the Regional Health Insurance Fund and the providers.
(7) (Amended, SG No. 110/1999, renumbered from Paragraph (6), SG No. 105/2006) Inclusion of new diagnostic and treatment methods [in the National Framework Agreement] shall be admissible according to the procedure established by Article 32 of the Health Act.
(8) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002, renumbered from Paragraph (7), SG No. 105/2006)The National Framework Agreement may not establish requirements as to:
1. a minimum number of health insured persons to be registered by a primary non-hospital care provider;
2. any terms impeding the free choice by the insured of medical care providers who have concluded a contract with a Regional Health Insurance Fund for:
(a) (Effective until 1.01.2004) primary non-hospital care: within the boundaries of the municipality where the insured has a permanent or current address;
(b) (Effective until 1.01.2004) specialist non-hospital and hospital care: within the boundaries of the respective administrative region;
(c) (Effective until 1.01.2004) highly specialized hospital care: within the entire national territory;
3. performance of highly specialized medical procedures beyond the basic package guaranteed by the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund by the specialist non-hospital care providers;
4. additional requirements to pharmacies, wholesalers and manufacturers of medicinal drugs other than such provided for in the Human Medicinal Drugs and Pharmacies Act;
5. a maximum number of procedures performed and distribution of quotas in respect of the providers of such procedures in specialist non-hospital care and in hospital care;
6. any limitation of the amount and distribution of the procedures performed among the medical-treatment facilities.
Article 56. (1) (Previous Article 56 and amended, SG No. 107/2002, supplemented, SG No. 111/2004) Medical care providers may order the medicinal drugs, medical goods and dietetic foods for special medical purposes, as specified in the lists referred to in Item 7 of Article 55 (2) herein, fully or partly reimbursable by the National Health Insurance Fund, for any compulsorily insured persons.
(2) (New, SG No. 107/2002) Prescription and delivery of any medicinal drugs, fully or partly reimbursable by the National Health Insurance Fund, other than such included in the lists referred to in Item 7 of Article 55 (2) herein by a medical care provider shall require advance written justification of the need. Payment for any such medicinal drugs shall be effected by permission of the Director of the competent Regional Health Insurance Fund.
Article 57. (Repealed, SG No. 107/2002).

Section VIII
Contract between National Health Insurance Fund and Medical Care
Provider
Article 58. (Amended, SG No. 62/1999, SG No. 70/2004) Within the meaning given by this Act, "medical care providers" shall be medical-treatment facilities under the Medical-Treatment Facilities Act national centres for public health under the Health Act.
Article 59. (1) Any contract referred to in Item 4 of Article 20 herein for delivery of medical care under this Act and in accordance with the National Framework Agreement shall be concluded between the Director of a Regional Health Insurance Fund and a medical care provider.
(2) No contract referred to in Paragraph (1) may be concluded on less favourable terms than the terms adopted by the National Framework Agreement.
(3) Any contract referred to in Paragraph (1) shall be executed in writing for the term of validity of the National Framework Agreement, and shall endure until conclusion of a new National Framework Agreement or modification of the effective National Framework Agreement.
(4) Any contract referred to in Paragraph (1) shall specify the requirements and conditions, as indicated in Items 2 to 11 of Article 55 (2) herein, for application within the respective territory. Any such contract shall particularize the relationships between medical care providers and between such providers and other parties for provision of the medical care as contracted.
(5) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The Director of a Regional Health Insurance Fund may not refuse to conclude a contract with any provider satisfying the requirements of the law and of the National Framework Agreement, including upon filling out the National Health Map.
(6) (Renumbered from Paragraph (5), SG No. 107/2002) Any refusal by the Director of a Regional Health Insurance Fund to conclude a contract with a provider shall be appealable by the provider within two weeks before the Governing Board of the National Health Insurance Fund care of the Director of the Regional Health Insurance Fund unless the latter elects to revoke the refusal.
(7) (Renumbered from Paragraph (6) and supplemented, SG No. 107/2002, amended, SG No. 30/2006) The Governing Board shall pronounce on any such refusal within one month after receipt of the appeal. A rejection shall be appealable under the Administrative Procedure Code before the competent administrative court within two weeks. In case of revocation of a rejection by the court, the provider may bring an action for lost profit for the period of the unjustified refusal to conclude a contract.
(8) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The National Health Insurance Fund, the Regional Health Insurance Funds and the employees thereof may not require presentation of documents from providers nor pose any conditions which are not contracted in the National Framework Agreement.
(9) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The National Health Insurance Fund and the Regional Health Insurance Funds shall be obligated to inform providers of any changes arising from decisions of the governing bodies thereof or from modifications in the National Framework Agreement, as well as to give providers the directions as shall be necessary for application of any such changes. The terms, procedure and time limits for provision of information shall be regulated in the National Framework Agreement and in the contracts with providers.
Article 60. (Previous Article 60, SG No. 30/2006) Scientific research and training of medical specialists, conducted by health-care facilities, shall not be subject to contracting and payment on the part of the National Health Insurance Fund.
(2) (New, SG No. 30/2006) Therapeutic dentistry activities as part of the training of students, post-graduate students and PhD fellows shall not be contracted and reimbursed by the NHSF.
Article 61. The Director of any Regional Health Insurance Fund may furthermore conclude a contract with any physician and dentist practising outside a hospital who has concluded a contract with any hospital located within the same territory. Any such contract shall regulate the terms and a procedure for payment for medical care delivered at the hospital.
Article 62. The Director of any Regional Health Insurance Fund may conclude a contract for delivery of non-hospital care with any physician and dentist practising at a hospital, subject to the condition that there is no sufficient number of physicians of the same specialty who practise outside hospitals within the same territory and the operation of the hospital is not disrupted by such an arrangement.

Section IX
Information Support of the Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund
Article 63. The National Health Insurance Fund shall build an information system which shall comprehend:
1. (amended, SG No. 110/1999, supplemented, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) a register of the insured persons, stating: identity card particulars; a unique personal identification number; grounds for entitlement to [health] insurance under Article 33 herein; the contributions paid, the grounds for payment by the National Health Insurance Fund of the medical care delivered to the insured persons in another Member State in accordance with the rules for coordination of social security schemes;
2. (new, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) a register of the persons insured in another Member State, who are entitled to receive medical care in Bulgaria for the account of the National Health Insurance Fund in accordance with the rules for coordination of social security schemes;
3. (amended, SG No. 110/1999, renumbered from Item 2, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) a register of the medical care providers, stating identity card particulars and professional information about the provider, the contract concluded therewith;
4. (amended, SG No. 110/1999, renumbered from Item 3, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) register of manufacturers, importers and distributors of medicinal drugs and pharmacies which have concluded contracts with the National Health Insurance Fund;
5. (renumbered from Item 4, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) information about the activities performed by the controlling authorities;
6. (renumbered from Item 5, SG No. 95/2006, effective as from the day of entry into force of the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union) administrative information essential for the operation of the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 64. (1) (Amended, SG No. 110/1999, previous Article 64, SG No. 107/2002) Each (health) insured shall have the right to receive from the National Health Insurance Fund the available information regarding the medical care which the said insured has used during the last preceding five years and the price of the said care according to a procedure established by the Fund.
(2) (New, SG No. 107/2002) Each (health) insured shall have the right to gain access, upon request, from the competent Regional Health Insurance Fund to the competent Regional Health Insurance Fun regarding the medical care providers and the pharmacies which have concluded contracts with the Regional Health Insurance Fund for the relevant region, stating the following particulars:
1. in respect of non-hospital care: name, type of medical-treatment facility, address, governing bodies, physicians and dentists working thereat, specialist qualifications of the said medical professionals, office telephone numbers, highly specialized medical procedures performed under the National Framework Agreement;
2. in respect of hospital care: name, type of hospital, address, governing bodies, telephone numbers, wards, accreditation rating, medical procedures performed under the National Framework Agreement;
3. in respect of pharmacies: name, address, managing director, telephone number, opening hours, groups of medicinal drugs dispensed according to the individual contract with the National Health Insurance Fund.
(3) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The information covered under Paragraph (2) shall be public and shall be maintained, disseminated and provided according to a procedure established in the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 65. Any medical care provider shall be obligated to report the work thereby performed to the Regional Health Insurance Fund, according to reporting methods and up to an amount as adopted in the National Framework Agreement.
Article 66. (1) (Previous Article 66, SG No. 107/2002) The information system of the compulsory health insurance system shall use the established national codes and nomenclatures for registration and reporting of health- care services activities.
(2) (New, SG No. 107/2002, effective 1.01.2004) The National Health Insurance Fund shall provide medical care providers with the software as shall be necessary for the performance of the work thereof regarding the exchange of data and documentation required by the National Framework Agreement.
(3) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The data and documentation referred to in Paragraph (2) may be submitted by the providers to the Regional Health Insurance Fund on (a paper-based data medium) and/or only on an electronic or magnetic data medium in a format coordinated with the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 67. The particulars regarding the insured persons shall be preserved at the National Health Insurance Fund for a period of ten years after termination of the health insurance entitlement thereof, and the particulars regarding the providers shall be preserved for a period of ten years after expiration of the last contract thereof with the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 68. (1) Any particulars relating to the person of the insured may be used solely for the purpose of:
1. establishment of an insurance relationship with the National Health Insurance Fund;
2. payment to a medical care provider;
3. preparation of a health insurance card, a medical document or a financial document;
4. identification of sums subject to collection from, or reimbursement to, the contributions payer or the medical care provider;
5. ascertainment of any detriment inflicted on the insured during the delivery of medical care;
6. exercise of financial control.
(2) Any particulars relating to the medical care provider may be used solely for the purpose of:
1. keeping a register of medical care providers;
2. payment for the medical care delivered by the said provider;
3. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) exercise of control over performance of the contracts.
(3) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The National Health Insurance Fund may not require that the source medical documents, which are accessible to insured persons and to third parties, contain any particulars regarding the physicians and dentists other than name, specialty, address, telephone number of the practice, personal professional code and registration number of the medical-treatment facility.
(4) (Renumbered from Paragraph (3), SG No. 107/2002) Except in the instances covered under Paragraphs (1) and (2), the National Health Insurance Fund may provide particulars regarding the person of an insured or a provider to state bodies if so provided for by statute.
(5) (Renumbered from Paragraph (4), SG No. 107/2002) The employees of the Head Office of the National Health Insurance Fund or of any Regional Health Insurance Fund shall have no right to disclose any particulars relating to the person of an insured person, a medical care provider or an employer except in the instances prescribed by statute.
(6) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The governing bodies and the employees of the National Health Insurance Fund or of the Regional Health Insurance Funds shall have no right to give a professional evaluation and to comment on the work of medical care providers, nor to make direct or indirect recommendations and to direct patients to specific providers.
(7) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The National Health Insurance Fund or of the Regional Health Insurance Funds shall be obligated to provide any information as shall be requested by the Ministry of Health.
Article 69. (Amended, SG No. 93/1998, SG No. 110/1999, SG No. 105/2005) On a monthly basis, the National Revenue Agency shall be obligated to provide the National Health Insurance Fund with information regarding the [health] insured persons and the amount of the health insurance contributions collected there from.

Section X
Control, Expert Evaluations and Disputes
Article 70. (1) (Previous Article 70, SG No. 107/2002) Control over the implementation of the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be exercised by the National Audit Office.
(2) (New, SG No. 107/2002, amended, SG No. 33/2006) Comprehensive financial control of the National Health Insurance Fund shall be exercised according to the procedure established by the Public Financial Inspection Act.
Article 71. Control over the performance of the Governing Board, the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund and the directors of the Regional Health Insurance Funds shall be exercised by the Review Board according to the provisions of this Act and the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 72. (1) (Amended, SG No. 107/2002, supplemented, SG No. 38/2004) The Director of the National Health Insurance Fund shall exercise comprehensive control over the activities comprehended in compulsory health insurance. The Director of the National Health Insurance Fund shall mandatorily assign an inspection within fourteen days after receipt of a decision of the National Audit Office on enforcement of accountability, attaching thereto records of the audit or the audit report under Article 51 (1) of the National Audit Office Act.
(2) Direct control shall be exercised by officers of the Regional Health Insurance Funds: financial inspectors and medical controllers.
Article 73. (1) Financial inspectors shall exercise the following powers:
1. (Repealed, SG No. 110/1999);
2. (Supplemented, SG No. 107/2002) to examine the accounting documents of medical care providers, as regulated in the National Framework Agreement;
3. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) to exercise control as to the legal conformity of the financial activity of medical and dental care providers under the contracts thereof with the Regional Health Insurance Funds;
4. (Supplemented, SG No. 107/2002) to conduct examinations proceeding from complaints lodged by insured persons and employers in connection with financial irregularities.
(2) For the purpose of performing the activities covered under Paragraph (1), financial inspectors shall have the right to access to information from the employers, the insureds and the providers.
(3) Financial inspectors shall have no right to disclose any information which has come to the knowledge thereof in the course of performing the activities covered under Paragraph (1) except in the instances prescribed by statute.
(4) (New, SG No. 107/2002) The procedures established by Article 74 (2), (3) and (4), Articles 75 and 76 herein, applicable to medical controllers, shall apply, mutatis mutandis, in respect of the regulation of the activities performed by financial controllers, the ascertainment of violations, the contestation of ascertainments, the boards of arbitration and the imposition of sanctions.
Article 73a. (New, SG No. 110/1999, amended, SG No. 105/2005) Financial control over the revenues of the National Health Insurance Fund from health insurance contributions and due interest shall be exercised by the controlling authorities of the National Revenue Agency according to the procedure established by the Tax and Social Insurance Procedure Code.
Article 74. (1) Control related to the delivery of medical care shall be exercised by medical controllers who shall have power to verify:
1. compliance with the rules of good medical practice;
2. the type and amount of medical care delivered;
3. the type and quantity of medicinal drugs prescribed;
4. the correspondence between the medical care delivered and the sums paid.
(2) Acting on complaints lodged and where expenditures on medical care are found to exceed the prescribed limit by 25 per cent or more during a six-month period, the medical controllers shall conduct surprise inspections of a random selection of 2 per cent of the medical care providers within the territory served by each Regional Health Insurance Fund.
(3) Upon ascertainment of any violation covered under Items 1 to 4 of Paragraph (1), a medical controller shall draw up a memorandum, describing therein the facts as ascertained. The said memorandum shall be signed by the medical controller. A copy of the said memorandum shall be provided to the person inspected upon signed acknowledgement of service, and transcripts of the said memorandum shall be transmitted to the Director of the competent Regional Health Insurance Fund and to the respective regional chapter of the physicians or dentists professional organization.
(4) The person subject to inspection shall have the right to submit written observations to the Director of the (competent) Regional Health Insurance Fund on the ascertainments arrived at by the medical controller within seven days after service of the memorandum referred to in Paragraph (3).
Article 75. (1) Should the person (inspected) contest the ascertainments arrived at by the medical controller, the Director of the (competent) Regional Health Insurance Fund shall submit the contestation for settlement to a board of arbitration within seven days after receipt of the written observations referred to in Article 74 (4) herein.
(2) The board of arbitration shall consist of six members: three representatives of the Regional Health Insurance Fund and three representing the regional chapter of the relevant physicians or dentists professional organization.
(3) The board of arbitration shall rule within one month after receipt of the case file.
Article 76. (1) Should the board of arbitration uphold the ascertainments arrived at by the medical controller, the sanctions provided for in the contract between the Regional Health Insurance Fund and the provider of medical aid shall be applied.
(2) (Amended, SG No. 30/2006) The said sanctions shall be judicially appealable according to the procedure established by the Administrative Procedure Code.
Article 77. (Supplemented, SG No. 110/1999, amended, SG No. 105/2005) Any natural and legal person shall be obligated to provide the controlling authorities of the National Health Insurance Fund and of the National Revenue Agency any documents, information, reference briefs, declarations, explanations and other data mediums relating to the implementation of health insurance as the said authorities may request, and to cooperate with the said authorities in the performance of the official duties thereof.
Article 78. The National Health Insurance Fund may conduct expert evaluations should the need arise of:
1. medical care whereof the value exceeds the national minimum (monthly) wage 200 times;
2. expensive medicinal drugs in the instances provided for by the National Framework Agreement;
3. medical treatment abroad.
Article 79. Any expert evaluation covered under Article 78 herein shall be conducted by a commission at the Head Office according to a procedure established in the Rules of Organization and Operation of the National Health Insurance Fund.
Article 80. Any dispute as may arise in connection with the performance of the contracts between the National Health Insurance Fund, the Regional Health Insurance funds and the medical care providers shall be submitted for settlement to the competent court of law unless determined by arbitration.

Section XI
(New, SG No. 95/2006)
Issuance of Documents Required for Exercise of Health Insurance
Entitlement according to Rules for Coordination of Social Security
Schemes
Article 80a. (New, SG No. 95/2006) (1) The National Health Insurance Fund shall issue documents required according to the rules for coordination of social security schemes for exercise of the health insurance entitlement of the persons, within thirty days after the date of submission of a request by the interested parties.
(2) Any such request shall be submitted by the interested parties care of the Regional Health Insurance Funds.
(3) Acting on a motion by the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund, the Minister of Health shall issue an ordinance establishing the procedure for the issuance of the certifying documents referred to in Paragraph (1).
Article 80b. (New, SG No. 95/2006) (1) The Director of the National Health Insurance Fund or an official authorized thereby shall issue a European health insurance card with a validity period of one year.
(2) In case the applicant has not attained the age of 18 years, the validity period of the European health insurance card shall be until attainment of the age of 18 years but in any case not less than one year and not more than five years.
(3) Where the applicant is a recipient of a contributory-service and retirement-age pension, the validity period of the European health insurance card shall be ten years, and if the person receives an invalidity pension, the said validity period shall be for the period of the pension as granted but in any case not less than ten years.
Article 80c. (New, SG No. 95/2006) A European health insurance card as issued shall be declared invalid by the Director of the National Health Insurance Fund or by an official authorized thereby where:
1. the health insured person states that the card has been lost, stolen or destroyed;
2. the health insured person has died;
3. the person has lost the entitlement to payment by the National Health Insurance Code of the medical care delivered thereto under the terms established by Article 109 (1) herein, except if the said person is reinstated in the health insurance entitlement thereof, as well as in the cases referred to in Article 40a (1) herein.
Article 80d. (New, SG No. 95/2006) A European health insurance card shall not be issued to any persons referred to in Article 40a (1) and Article 109 (1) herein.

Chapter Three
VOLUNTARY HEALTH INSURANCE
Section I
General Dispositions

(Title amended, SG No. 107/2002)
Article 81. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) This Chapter regulates the relationships associated with:
1. voluntary health insurance;
2. the legal status of health insurance companies;
3. the state supervision over the activities comprehended in voluntary health insurance;
4. the guaranteeing of the interests of insured persons.
Article 82. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) (1) Voluntary health insurance shall be the activity of assuming risks associated with provision of financing for certain health-care services and goods, carried on by health insurance companies licensed under this Act in exchange for payment of health insurance premiums, on the basis of health insurance contracts.
(2) Voluntary health insurance shall guarantee the provision of health-care services and goods beyond the scope of compulsory health insurance. Voluntary health insurance may furthermore guarantee health-care services and goods within the scope of comprehensive health insurance.
(3) Voluntary health insurance shall be implemented in compliance with the principle of voluntary contracting.
(4) The following shall not be treated as voluntary health insurance:
1. (Amended, SG No. 85/2004, No. 103/2005) the business of insurers comprehended in cover of risks associated with the life, health or bodily integrity of the insured persons under the insurances listed in Annex 1 of the Insurance Code;
2. the work performed by non-hospital medical care providers under contracts with natural and legal persons for provision of medical services, where the said services are of a specified type, amount and prices.
Article 83. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) (1) An activity comprehended in voluntary health insurance may be carried on by an joint-stock company registered with objects limited to voluntary health insurance.
(2) The activity comprehended in voluntary health insurance shall furthermore include management of the assets of the health insurance company.
(3) Acting under contract with foreign insurance and social insurance companies, in exchange for payment and without assuming a financial risk of their own, health insurance companies may perform activities comprehended in medical services within the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria for foreign citizens insured by the said insurance and social insurance companies.
(4) For the purpose of carrying on an activity comprehended in voluntary health insurance and for recording in the Commercial Register, a joint-stock company referred to in Paragraph (1) must obtain a licence under the terms and according to the procedure established by this Act.
Article 84. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) (1) Health insurance contracts shall be written contracts concluded between any health insurance companies, licensed under this Act, and any natural or legal person.
(2) Any self-insured person, if paying a health insurance premium for his, her or its own account, shall be a party to the contract.
(3) Any employers, family members and other (health) insurance payers, who or which remit for their own account the health insurance contributions in respect of natural persons, shall be a party to the contract. In such a case, the (health) insurance payers shall be obligated to explain to the (health) insured persons the rights and obligations thereof arising under the contract, the medical care providers, and the terms and procedure for delivery of health-care services and goods.
(4) Any (health) insurance payers and (health) insured persons shall be a party to the contract where remitting jointly portions of the health insurance premium.
(5) (Amended SG No. 103/2005) In respect of health insurance contracts, the provisions of the Commerce Act regarding commercial transactions and of the Insurance Code shall apply accordingly, in so far as otherwise provided for in this Act.
Article 85. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) (1) The activity comprehended in the provision of health-care services shall be performed by medical care providers.
(2) The type, prices, terms and procedure for provision of the health-care services referred to in Paragraph (1) shall be established in contracts between the medical care providers and the health insurance companies.
(3) Voluntary health insurance with expense reimbursement may be provided without conclusion of contracts referred to in Paragraph (2).
Article 86. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002, SG No. 8/2003) The state supervision over the activity comprehended in voluntary health insurance shall be exercised by the Financial Supervision Commission and by the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department, according to the procedure established by this Act and by the Financial Supervision Commission Act.

Section II
(New, SG No. 107/2002)
Activity Comprehended in Voluntary Health Insurance
Article 87. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) (1) Voluntary health insurance may be provided through expense reimbursement or through subscriber service.
(2) Voluntary health insurance through expense reimbursement shall be a form in which the health insurance company partly or fully reimburses the expenses incurred for health-care services of the insured persons upon occurrence of the cases provided for in the health insurance contracts. Expenses shall be reimbursable both to the providers and to the insured persons in respect of the health-care services and goods as provided or paid.
(3) Voluntary health insurance through subscriber service shall be a form in which, upon occurrence of the cases provided for in the health insurance contracts, the health insurance company arranges the provision of specific health-care services and goods to the insured persons by specific medical care providers wherewith the said health insurance company has concluded a contract.
Article 88. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) (1) The activity comprehended in voluntary health insurance shall be carried on through the offering, conclusion and performance of health insurance contracts.
(2) Any health insurance contract shall state:
1. (amended, SG No. 39/2005, No. 34/2006) certificate reflecting current status of entry in the Commercial Register; number and date of issue of health insurance company licence;
2. the health insurance packages included in the contract, the type, scope and terms of provision of health-care services and goods;
3. the amount, time limit and mode of payment of the health insurance premium;
4. the general conditions of the health insurance packages included in the contract.
(3) (New, SG No. 8/2003) The general conditions under the health insurance packages shall clearly and unambiguously state:
1. the cover and the exceptions of it;
2. the terms, the procedure and the time limits for payment of health insurance premiums, as well as the consequences of non-payment or mispayment;
3. the terms and procedure for using the health services and for obtaining the health goods;
4. the terms, procedure and time limits for reimbursement of expenses incurred;
5. the terms, procedure and time limits for termination or modification of the health insurance legal relationship.
(4) (Renumbered from Paragraph (3), SG No. 8/2003) Upon the offering and conclusion of health insurance contracts, health insurance companies shall be obligated to observe the principle of voluntary contracting and to explain in good faith the terms and conditions, the rights and obligations arising under the health insurance contract with a view to protection of the interests of insured persons.
(5) (Renumbered from Paragraph (4) and supplemented, SG No. 8/2003) Health insurance companies shall be bound by the obligation to respect the confidentiality of the information relating to the health insurance contracts as concluded, as well as of the information relating to the personal data and the health status of the insured person before the Financial Supervision Commission and the authorities thereof. Any such information may be disclosed solely with the consent of the insured person, as well as in the cases expressly provided for by statute.
Article 88a. (New, SG No. 100/2007) (1) The use of sex as an actuarial factor in determining the amount of the health insurance premium shall be permissible in case the health insurance company uses statistical data which are reliable, regularly updated and available to the public, and from which the determining relevance of sex as an actuarial factor in the assessment of the health insurance risk is evident. In such case, the health insurance company shall submit to the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department the rate thereof under the relevant health insurance package, accompanied by the relevant statistical justification.
(2) The health insurance company may not reduce the amount due upon expense reimbursement or, respectively, upon provision of health-care services and goods, on the basis of the sex of the insured persons.
(3) Costs related to pregnancy and maternity may not result in differences in calculation of premiums and benefits.
Article 89. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) Health insurance companies may own shares and interests in medical-treatment facilities.
Article 90. (Amended, SG No. 107/2002) (1) The own funds of any health insurance company, less the intangible assets, must be greater than, or equal to, the solvency margin.
(2) The guarantee capital shall represent one-third of the solvency margin but may not be lower than BGN 400,000.
(3) The total amount of tangible and intangible fixed assets required for the conduct of the business of any health insurance company may not exceed 75 per cent of the owners' equity less the subscriber capital not paid.
Article 90a. (New, SG No. 107/2002, amended, SG No. 8/2003) The Financial Supervision Commission shall issue an ordinance which shall establish:
1. the elements included in calculating the amount of own funds;
2. the solvency margin and the methods of calculating the said margin.
Article 90b. (New, SG No. 107/2002) (1) Where the requirement referred to in Article 90 (1) herein is breached, the health insurance company, acting on the order of the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department, shall submit a plan for attainment of the solvency margin.
(2) Should the own funds, less any intangible assets, fall below the fixed guarantee capital, the health insurance company shall submit a short-term plan for additional raising of own funds for approval to the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department.
(3) In the instances referred to in Paragraph (2), the Agency shall establish a time limit for rising of own funds up to the established amount of guarantee capital.
Article 90c. (New, SG No. 107/2002) (1) Any health insurance company shall be obligated to establish statutory reserves and health insurance reserves.
(2) The statutory reserves shall consist of:
1. a Reserve Fund under Article 246 of the Commerce Act;
2. other funds and reserves if so provided for in the Articles of Association of the health insurance company.
(3) The health insurance reserves shall consist of:
1. an equalization reserve;
2. a claims reserve;
3. an unearned premium reserve;
4. other provisions as approved by the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department.
(4) (Amended, SG No. 8/2003) The Financial Supervision Commission shall approve an ordinance establishing a procedure and a method for the formation of health insurance reserves. Each health insurance company shall maintain health insurance reserves according to the ordinance referred to in sentence one to an amount corresponding to the obligations under the health insurance contracts.
Article 90d. (New, SG No. 107/2002) (1) Where any health insurance company has calculated the solvency margin, the own funds and/or the health insurance reserves in breach of the ordinances referred to in Article 90a herein or Article 90c (4) herein, for the purposes of insurance supervision the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department shall recalculate the amounts thereof according to the said ordinances.
(2) Where the solvency margin and/or the amount of own funds, as recalculated according to the procedure established by Paragraph (1), do not conform to Article 90 (1) and (2) herein, the measures under Article 90b herein shall apply.
(3) (Amended, SG No. 8/2003) Where the health insurance reserves shall be insufficient for performance of the obligations under the health insurance contracts, the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department shall prescribe adjustment of the said provisions. Upon failure to comply with the prescription, the coercive administrative measures under Article 99 herein shall be applied.
Article 90e. (New, SG No. 107/2002) (1) Any health insurance company shall be obligated to invest the health insurance reserves in the following assets and in the following ratios:
1. government securities issued and guaranteed by the Republic of Bulgaria: without restriction;
2. unencumbered corporeal immovables: up to 10 per cent of the health insurance reserves;
3. bonds issued and guaranteed by a municipality: up to 5 per cent of the health insurance provisions;
4. shares and bonds issued by commercial corporations and admitted to trading on a stock exchange: up to 30 per cent of the health insurance provisions, but not more than 10 per cent of the shares and bonds of a single corporation;
5. bank deposits: up to 50 per cent of the health insurance reserves, but not more than 25 per cent of the amount of the said reserves with a single bank;
6. mortgage bonds: up to 25 percent of the health insurance reserves, but not more than 15 per cent of the mortgage banks issued by a single bank.
(2) The assets covered under Paragraph (1) may not be pledged, mortgaged or otherwise encumbered.
(3) The levels of investments covered under Paragraph (1) must provide security, yield and liquidity relevant to the health insurance contracts.
Article 90f. (New, SG No. 107/2002) (1) Own funds may be invested in interests and shares in other commercial corporations. The health insurance company shall be obligated to notify the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department within seven days after the investment is made where the amount of investment in a single commercial corporation:
1. exceeds 10 per cent of the capital of the corporation, or
2. exceeds BGN 30,000.
(2) Where a health insurance company invests the own funds thereof in interests and shares in another commercial corporation and the amount of the said investment exceeds 10 per cent of the amount of the own funds of the said company, the said company shall be obligated to request advance authorization from the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department.
(3) A health insurance company may not participate, as a general partner, in any general partnership, limited partnership, or partnership limited by shares.
Article 90g. (New, SG No. 107/2002, amended, SG No. 8/2003) A health insurance company may invest health insurance reserves and own funds abroad by permission of the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department four years after grant of the licence.
Article 90h. (New, SG No. 107/2002) The health insurance reserves referred to in Article 90c (3) herein shall be included in the imputed costs of the insurer.
Article 90i. (New, SG No. 107/2002) (1) The Annual Financial Statement of each health insurance company shall be certified by registered auditors.
(2) Together with the report certifying the Annual Financial Statement of the health insurance company, the registered auditors shall submit an extended auditors' report to the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department not later than the 30th day of April in the next succeeding year.
(3) The extended auditors' report shall be prepared in a standard form as endorsed by the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department.
(4) The persons referred to in Paragraph (1) shall notify the Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission in charge of the Insurance Supervision Department forthwith of any circumstances as may jeopardize the activity of the health insurance company.

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