I have to undergo rhinoplasty. Is the procedure covered by the NHIF and who should give me a referral? Is there a patient co-payment?
Boryana Shtilyanova, Sofia
You probably mean the presence of a disease or distortion of the bones of the nose, leading to difficulty breathing, in which the treatment can be carried out in the conditions of hospital care according to clinical path (CP) 138 "Operative treatment of diseases in the area of the ears, nose and throat with a medium volume of complexity”.
NHOK pays hospital care providers for all medical activities on the clinical pathway, except for some expensive medical devices that were administered during treatment. For example, nasal splints, biological-tissue glue, disposable tips for high-tech equipment, medical devices for fixation procedures, etc.
Patients must be informed that this KP provides activities that serve to solve a specific he alth problem. The use of disposable tips for high-tech equipment and/or other medical devices from the table is an alternative to the basic treatment provided by this path.
Rhinoplasty can also be performed according to KP No. 225 "Surgical treatment in the maxillofacial area with a very large volume and complexity" or according to KP No. 227 "Operative procedures in the maxillofacial area with an average volume and complexity". In these two aisles, there are medical devices and instruments for the fixing procedures, which are not paid for by the NHIF.
A referral for hospitalization can be issued by your attending physician.
