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3 clusters · 23 sources · 15 days · First seen · Last updated

North Macedonia to implement new medical leave regulations

Overview

North Macedonian authorities are moving forward with stricter regulations to combat the abuse of medical leave, with new rules set to take effect on December 1. A central component of the reform is reducing the period during which primary care physicians can independently authorize sick leave from seven days to five. For longer absences, stricter electronic documentation and medical commissions will be required.

The Health Insurance Fund (HIF) reported a significant rise in medical leave usage, noting that while the number of patients increased by 6.7% between 2021 and 2025, the number of open medical leaves rose by 33.4%. To address this, authorities are exploring electronic data exchange with other institutions to monitor whether individuals on leave are crossing national borders.

Specific provisions have been established for certain conditions: leave for influenza, acute respiratory infections, viral enteritis, and specific gynecological conditions may extend up to 15 days subject to laboratory analysis. Additionally, medical leave following a successful IVF procedure can last up to three months. Certain groups, such as hospitalized patients, the severely ill, those receiving treatment abroad, and companions of children under three, will be exempt from requirements to appear physically before a doctor or commission.

While the HIF has denied that new controls will amount to “house arrest,” the measures include unannounced home visits to verify prescribed rest. These reforms follow reports of individuals using sick leave to travel abroad, attend social events, or work secondary jobs, with previous audits showing irregularities in approximately 37 percent of cases.

Entities

Health Insurance Fund · Zlatko Perinski · Ministry of Internal Affairs · North Macedonia · Panče Toškovski

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. 3 days ago

    [HEALTH] 5 sources
    North Macedonia to implement new medical leave regulations

    North Macedonia will implement new medical leave rules on December 1, limiting family doctors' ability to issue leave without specialist approval to five days.

  2. 9 days ago

    [POLITICS] 15 sources
    North Macedonia to tighten controls on medical leave abuse

    North Macedonia is tightening controls on medical leave to prevent fraud, including reducing physician-issued leave to five days and conducting home inspections to stop abuses in public and private sectors.

  3. 18 days ago

    [HEALTH] 5 sources
    Health Insurance Fund proposes stricter sick leave controls

    North Macedonia's Health Insurance Fund proposes reducing the maximum sick leave days issued by primary doctors from seven to five to prevent abuse and strengthen financial controls.

Sources

360stepeni.mk · almakos.com · alsat.mk · biznisvesti.mk · brif.mk · denesen.mk · ekonomijaibiznis.mk · gazeta.mk · libertas.mk · lider.mk · lokalno.mk · nacionalno.mk · novamakedonija.com.mk · republika.mk · skopjeinfo.mk · tetova1.mk · tetovasot.com · tocka.com.mk · trn.mk · utrinskivesnik.mk · vreme.mk · zhurnal.mk · zoom.mk

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history