HEALTH ON CREDIT. PARENTAL EXPENSES FOR CHILDREN'S MEDICATIONS

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of data from Eurostat, the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), the National Statistical Institute (NSI), the National Health Information System (NHIS), and a sociological survey, compiled by the LARGO Association in February 2025. In 2024, the NHIF allocated 16 million BGN for key clinical pathways related to pediatric hospitalizations, while parents privately invested over 1 billion BGN in medicines for their children. On average, a parent in Bulgaria spends 562.32 BGN per year solely on their child's medication. Every second parent struggles to cover these medical expenses, with 14.4% experiencing significant financial difficulties. Parents who cannot afford medication costs are more likely to delay visits to a pediatrician. If the NHIF were to cover expenses for acute viral infections (AVIs) and antibiotics currently paid for by parents of children under the age of one, the investment would be recouped if just three out of 100 hospitalizations of infants aged 0-1 years were prevented. Similarly, covering AVI and antibiotic costs for children aged 0-3 years would pay off if one in 20 hospitalizations in this age group were avoided.