Can I change my GP?
Yes — twice a year, and you owe no explanation. Your permanent choice of general practitioner can be changed in two windows: 1–30 June and 1–31 December. Outside those periods a change by choice is not made. The procedure is short: you go to the newly chosen doctor with your health insurance booklet and fill in a registration form for a permanent choice; the same can be done online through the health fund's personalised information system, from your electronic health record. The new doctor registers the change in the system themselves. You are not obliged to give a reason, nor to notify your previous doctor — they learn of it from the system.
📋 The rules
- Windows for changing: 1–30 June and 1–31 December
- Go to the new doctor with your health insurance booklet
- Fill in a registration form for a permanent choice
- It can also be done online through the health fund
- No reason is given; the old doctor is not notified
🔓 Exceptions
- On a change of permanent address, a change of doctor is allowed outside the windows
- When you are away from your home town for longer, a temporary choice is made
- With lapsed health insurance rights, appointments are not covered by the fund
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There is no penalty for changing doctor — there is a missed window. If you do not submit the form in time, you stay with your current doctor until the next period, which means up to six months. More importantly, your rights depend on your health insurance contributions. With lapsed insurance rights, appointments, tests and referrals are not covered by the health fund and you pay for them in full yourself — and rights are restored only after the outstanding contributions are paid. Check your status online before you need a doctor, not in the waiting room.
📎 Official sources
- National Health Insurance Fund · Changing your GP →
- National Health Insurance Fund · Useful to know →
- lex.bg · Health Insurance Act →
❓ Frequently asked
When can I change my GP?
Twice a year — from 1 to 30 June and from 1 to 31 December. Outside those windows a change by choice is not made and you stay with your current doctor.
How is the change made?
You go to the newly chosen doctor with your health insurance booklet and fill in a registration form for a permanent choice. The same can be done online through the health fund's system.
Do I have to give a reason?
No. You owe no explanation for the change, and you need not notify your previous doctor — the new doctor registers the change in the health fund's system.
What if I am away for a longer period?
Then you make a temporary choice of doctor where you are staying. It does not cancel your permanent choice and does not use up your window for changing.
What happens if my health insurance has lapsed?
Appointments and tests are not covered by the fund and you pay for them in full. Rights are restored once the outstanding contributions are paid — check your status online in advance.
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