Bulgaria considers the possibility of financial incentives for citizens who have undergone compulsory annual medical examinations, intent to improve the overall health of the population. The tax authorities consider the idea of "return tax" in which citizens who have undergone an annual examination with a doctor will receive a return of one annual health insurance contribution for the previous year.
This initiative is aimed at stimulating those who usually avoid preventive examinations, to undergo testing at least once a year, which can help improve the health of the population. The Ministry of Health has defined prevention as its priority and plans to use various information campaigns to increase awareness of the importance of preventive measures.
Despite the fact that preventive examinations are free of charge, statistics show that only 41% of insured persons over the age of 18 have undergone compulsory annual examinations with their personal doctor in 2022. The project is designed that "tax return" encourages more citizens to take advantage of preventive examinations. General practitioners see this the possibility of detecting early stage diseases, which can facilitate the availability and cost of treatment.
