Bulgarians are EU leaders in out-of-pocket healthcare payments

Healthcare inflation in Bulgaria in 2026 compared to 2025 is twice as high as the overall inflation rate in the country, according to an analysis by Health Metrics - a company specializing in the collection, analysis, and presentation of health, social, and economic information, reported the Bulgarian News Agency.

Nearly half of the working population in the country is over the age of 45 - an age above which chronic diseases increase sharply.

Bulgaria is among the fastest-aging countries in the European Union, and preventable mortality in the country remains among the highest in the EU, the analysis states.

The share of out-of-pocket payments by citizens is more than double compared to other EU countries. Over a five-year period, household healthcare expenses have increased by 60%, placing Bulgaria first in the EU in terms of out-of-pocket spending by households.

Nearly 77% of these out-of-pocket payments by Bulgarian patients are for medications, including those partially reimbursed by the national health insurance fund.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova