Medical care in Bulgaria.

According to Bulgarian legislation, on the basis of Temporary Residence status in Bulgaria, you are not entitled to free medical care. Only after obtaining Permanent Residence in Bulgaria can you use free medical services (although it is not entirely free – a single doctor’s appointment costs 2.90 leva).

Until you obtain permanent residence status, you need to choose a private insurance agency – either individually or as a package for the entire family – which will prepare a plan for you where you can indicate which medical services you prefer and which you do not.

You can choose the cheapest plan and, if necessary, make appointments with doctors and pay for visits and diagnostics yourself. The cost of private doctor consultations in Bulgaria is around 20–30 leva per appointment. The cost of medical insurance starts from 100 leva per year.

Once you have obtained permanent residence status in Bulgaria and a card with an EGN (Unified Civil Number), you need to go to the district tax office – the NAP. You will be entered into the database, and in a couple of days the register will show that you have been recorded. You will need to fill out a form to be issued a document confirming that you have state medical insurance. With this document you need to go to the polyclinic and choose your general practitioner.

When selecting a general practitioner in your area, first gather reviews and as much information as possible, as many doctors do not issue referrals to specialists and are ready to take everything into their own hands! Be persistent if a doctor suddenly refuses to accept you and register you as their patient, claiming that there are no vacancies. I wish you good luck and strong health!