Every new opportunity for families who have been trying to become parents for years represents renewed hope. For this reason, one of the most significant changes regarding the right to biomedical assisted fertilization was approved a year ago, increasing the number of IVF attempts covered by the Fund from three to a maximum of six.

The Health Insurance Fund notes that, after just one year, the data show that this measure has not remained merely an option provided for by law, but has become a right that insured persons are actively exercising.

Between August 7, 2025, and August 20, 2026, a total of 1,883 IVF applications were submitted and reviewed. Of these, 237 concerned a fourth, fifth or sixth attempt, which were not previously covered by the Fund.

According to the data, 216 applications were submitted for a fourth attempt, 17 for a fifth and 4 for a sixth. These figures account for approximately 12.6 percent of the total number of applications reviewed during this period. The Health Insurance Fund says that behind each case is a family that has been given an additional opportunity to continue the process beyond the point at which support from the system previously ended.

The changes concerning biomedical assisted fertilization were not limited solely to increasing the number of funded attempts.

The procedure was also simplified by electronically sending notification that the right to IVF had been approved. At the same time, the deadline for filing an objection was extended from 8 to 15 days, while insured persons may receive biomedical assisted fertilization healthcare services on the basis of the Fund’s notification, without requiring an additional referral from their chosen gynecologist in primary healthcare.

The Fund also announced that more than 97.3 million denars were disbursed in 2025 for IVF procedures performed at eight healthcare institutions with which it has agreements.

The post HIF: 1,883 IVF applications submitted within one year appeared first on Albeu.com.

The Health Insurance Fund has identified more than 3,000 cases of suspected sick leave abuse.

During a briefing with journalists, Director Zllatko Perinski said the largest number of violations had been found among public-sector employees, particularly uniformed members of the army and police.

According to him, employees at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia have remained on sick leave for more than five years. However, the vast majority of abuse cases involve periods of one to three years and three to five years.

Perinski warned that the violations would be reported to the Public Prosecutor’s Office over unlawful financial gains. In addition to the patients, the family doctors and specialists responsible for issuing the medical reports will also be investigated.

The investigations will also include members of the Fund’s commissions who approved absences from work justified as resulting from various health problems.

The post Perinski: Health Insurance Fund Uncovers More Than 3,000 Cases of Sick Leave Abuse appeared first on Albeu.com.