The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has yet to discuss and vote on opening its financial reserve. Fund head Dr Vladimir Daskalov and his deputy Zdravko Shushkov said this after a meeting of the supervisory board.

The Fund expects more than €300m in its budget from discounts by drug companies, Shushkov said. An analysis shows this year's budget will be met with no deviations. If any appear, the reserve will cover them.

Time is very short, Daskalov said, because the budget was passed in the summer and the national framework contract was signed in September. He added that the time lost on administrative procedures can be made up. In his view, the way money is recovered from the drug companies matters most.

The supervisory board approved exceptional contracts for hospitals that filed a reasoned request because they have no specialists for certain clinical pathways. Hospitals in remote Peshtera, Ardino and Yambol got such contracts.

The children's hospital in Sofia has a contract for two specialists in pulmonology and phthisiatry. Another contract covers a surgeon at the Specialised Hospital for Active Treatment in Endocrinology in Sofia. Anaesthesiology and intensive care specialists are the most lacking.

Dr Stoycho Katsarov, who represents patient organisations on the supervisory board, proposed discussing the principle for allowing such contracts. Daskalov said the reason is that exceptional contracts are becoming more and more common.

The NHIF is checking its regional health fund in Plovdiv, and the check is not over yet. Daskalov said surprise checks will also take place at other regional health funds.

For now, the Fund pays first, then checks, and may find money that was spent unlawfully. Daskalov said work is under way on real-time cross-checking, which will be introduced. The Fund will not pay until it gets an adequate explanation of why the procedure was stopped by the check.