Georgian government not to cover treatment costs to the citizens with high income

Under the amendments to the universal healthcare program, the citizens with different income rates will be provided different funding for treatment. According to the Georgian Minister of Health and Social Affairs, David Sergeenko, program beneficiaries will be divided into several categories and will get different state services. Target groups- children under 5, students, pensioners, disabled persons, teachers, socially vulnerable individuals, will benefit from the state-run program services in full. They will be also entitled to use both, the state-run program and private insurance companies’ services. Socially vulnerable citizens and underprivileged pensioners will receive additional funding for outpatient medicines.

The next category – the citizens with low (less than GEL900-US$360 per month) and irregular incomes, as well as self-employed individuals- overall 1,154,000 people. The government will cover 50% of emergency outpatient care (instead of the current 100%), as well as the planned inpatient treatment expenses, provided that exceeds GEL500. This category will be also entitled to simultaneously benefit from the budget and private insurance policies, and will receive temporary benefits during the transitional period. The next category-socially vulnerable citizens with the rating points from 70,000 to 100,000 (102,000 people). Almost nothing has changed for them in the program. They can also benefit from private insurance. The same conditions apply to adolescents aged 6-18 (503,000).

Who has been restricted a right to benefit from the universal healthcare program?

It concerns the citizens with medium or high income exceeding GEL 40,000 (US$16,000) per year. There are 32,000 such individuals in Georgia. They will not be eligible for the universal healthcare services, but they will be entitled to get engaged in certain programs, for example, hepatitis C treatment program. Citizens with annual incomes from GEL 900 to GEL40,000 (300,000 people), will be covered emergency inpatient treatment costs by 90% instead of 100%.  Whereas the planned in-patient treatment – by 70%, provided that costs don’t exceed GEL1,000. The aforesaid changes don’t apply to maternity costs that will be covered to all categories.

The universal healthcare program was launched in Georgia in 2013. Under the program, the government covered a considerable part of treatment expenses irrespective of the citizens’ income rate.