Balgarianovinite.com The Association of Patients Active in Healthcare (APAH) has proposed a series of measures aimed at improving access to diabetes treatment, self-monitoring, and modern technologies for people living with diabetes in Bulgaria. The organisation said on Monday, it has submitted its recommendations in a letter to the Health Ministry and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Among APAH’s key proposals are increasing the number of blood glucose test strips reimbursed by the NHIF, expanding access to continuous glucose monitoring systems, enabling more patients to receive insulin pumps, and providing access to glucose sensors for people with type 2 diabetes where there is a proven medical need. The association also calls for a review of the eligibility criteria under which improved disease control may result in patients losing access to effective therapy, streamlining the work of expert medical commissions, and developing a national screening and early detection programme for diabetes.
According to the association, one of the most serious shortcomings of the current system is that patients who achieve better clinical outcomes may become ineligible for the very treatment that enabled those improvements. For example, a reduction in glycated haemoglobin levels can mean that a patient no longer meets the administrative criteria for certain therapies, despite clear evidence of their effectiveness. In some cases, this leaves patients facing out-of-pocket costs of around EUR 50 per month. The organisation argues that such an approach penalises good disease management rather than encouraging it, stressing that treatment decisions should be based on individual medical needs and clinical judgement rather than rigid administrative thresholds.
It also notes that the current allocation of 150 blood glucose test strips per three-month period falls short of the needs of many patients, particularly those receiving insulin therapy.
The association points to NHIF data showing that only 1,577 children and 4,492 adults currently use NHIF-funded continuous glucose monitoring sensors. Access to insulin pumps is even more limited, with just 16 pumps provided to adult patients and 13 to children. APAH argues that modern diabetes technologies should be regarded as essential tools for effective disease management rather than exceptional benefits available only to a small number of patients.
“The healthcare system must provide adequate resources for self-monitoring, timely access to specialist care, and modern technologies. It is unacceptable for patients to lose access to effective treatment simply because they have achieved better health outcomes,” APAH said.
The organisation called on the Health Ministry and the National Health Insurance Fund to launch an institutional dialogue with patient organisations and medical professionals to improve diabetes care and ensure access to modern treatment. Patient Association Calls for Better Access to Diabetes Care and Modern Technologies 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-27 16:24:52 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law