Desislava Atanasova expects a decrease in the prices of medicines

“I hope that the prices of medicines will decrease within a month,” Minister of Health Desislava Atanasova said on Monday. She revealed the amendments to the regulatory acts, related to medicinal policy, that her ministry had prepared.

The surplus charge for wholesale and retail traders will decrease by 2%, which will affect the cost of medicines. The price drop is envisaged in the proposals for amendments in the ordinance, formulating the pricing and reimbursement rules, Minister Atanasova explained.

The ordinance has been published on the website of the Ministry of Health for public discussion. It will also expand the range of EU member states where the lowest producer price for a particular medicine will be sought.

The amendments to the Law on Medicinal Products for Human Use allow for the establishment of a state commission on pricing and reimbursement. The commission will be a permanent body with its own administration. Another measure for price reduction includes the forthcoming amendments to the Health Insurance Act which has already been filed for first reading in the National Assembly. These amendments are expected to provide a mandatory option for negotiation of discounts on the medicines, paid by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), as this option was voluntary up to now.

“The negotiation of discounts on the medicines paid by the NHIF will be a mandatory process for all groups of medicinal products,” Desislava Atanasova explained.

The discount will be distributed proportionally between the NHIF and the health insured person. “The aim is to avoid burdening the health insured patient with the discount given to the NHIF,” the Minister of Health said.

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