Innovative practices in Bulgaria
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Technology and system of health insurance in the Municipality of Varna
Varna Municipality
Background
In accordance with regulation documents of the Council of Ministers, Ministry of Finance, National Insurance Institute and the Health Insurance Agency, it is necessary to pay health insurance to a range of people, the categories being defined by several types of regulative documents and letters, still in the process of being clarified by the institutions taking part in the process. The failure to fulfil these conditions on the part of the Municipality of Varna will lead to financial sanctions and payment of interest.
In accordance with regulation documents of the Council of Ministers, Ministry of Finance, National Insurance Institute and the Health Insurance Agency, it is necessary to pay health insurance to a range of people, the categories being defined by several types of regulative documents and letters, still in the process of being clarified by the institutions taking part in the process. The failure to fulfil these conditions on the part of the Municipality of Varna will lead to financial sanctions and payment of interest.
Practice
1. A team of 5 people is formed, including:
two specialists in social care (hired for the period of 5 months through the Labour Bureau, within the program for temporary employment);
a representative of Social Care Department;
two representatives of the Information Center .
2. Educating representatives of the Municipality of Varna in the processing of declarations and clarifying controversial issues.
3. Creating a system for processing of declarations, including the following basic elements:
mobility, reached through Intranet;
independence of the platform, using an Internet browser for the work place;
avoiding the need to pay for a number of licences;
operation in a network;
speed of declaration processing, through preliminary introduction of personal data;
control at the entrance, by introducing and checking all facts at receipt of documents submitted with the declaration.
4. Releasing the necessary information to the media:
- who, where and when should file a declaration;
- where can one get a declaration;
- how should the form be completed;
- when should it be submitted.
The unclear legislation with respect to the categories of people causes further difficulties. The Municipality of Varna has created connections with representatives of the National Insurance Institute in Varna and Sofia. Satisfactory answers have been given to the great part of their questions. The system is so constructed that it should be able to function through fine tuning, depending on the answers and clarifications made by NII, which are constantly coming in.
On 1 November 1999 the system is installed in the Information Center. From 1 December 1999 it is open to citizens and processes declarations for health insurance.
1. A team of 5 people is formed, including:
two specialists in social care (hired for the period of 5 months through the Labour Bureau, within the program for temporary employment);
a representative of Social Care Department;
two representatives of the Information Center .
2. Educating representatives of the Municipality of Varna in the processing of declarations and clarifying controversial issues.
3. Creating a system for processing of declarations, including the following basic elements:
mobility, reached through Intranet;
independence of the platform, using an Internet browser for the work place;
avoiding the need to pay for a number of licences;
operation in a network;
speed of declaration processing, through preliminary introduction of personal data;
control at the entrance, by introducing and checking all facts at receipt of documents submitted with the declaration.
4. Releasing the necessary information to the media:
- who, where and when should file a declaration;
- where can one get a declaration;
- how should the form be completed;
- when should it be submitted.
The unclear legislation with respect to the categories of people causes further difficulties. The Municipality of Varna has created connections with representatives of the National Insurance Institute in Varna and Sofia. Satisfactory answers have been given to the great part of their questions. The system is so constructed that it should be able to function through fine tuning, depending on the answers and clarifications made by NII, which are constantly coming in.
On 1 November 1999 the system is installed in the Information Center. From 1 December 1999 it is open to citizens and processes declarations for health insurance.
Results
- Minimizing the time for processing the request, using the already existing database for 360 000 residents of Varna.
- Ensured accuracy of services, guaranteed by existing data about related persons and by the availability of an expert in social care at the reception desk.
- Guaranteed accuracy of payment to the National Insurance Institute, because of narrowing the filter of the declarations received to those cases, which should be provided for through the national budget;
- Availablity of data about registered citizens of Varna. These data are made compatible with the system requirements and put to daily use.
- Minimizing the time for processing the request, using the already existing database for 360 000 residents of Varna.
- Ensured accuracy of services, guaranteed by existing data about related persons and by the availability of an expert in social care at the reception desk.
- Guaranteed accuracy of payment to the National Insurance Institute, because of narrowing the filter of the declarations received to those cases, which should be provided for through the national budget;
- Availablity of data about registered citizens of Varna. These data are made compatible with the system requirements and put to daily use.
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