Armenia gradually approaching compulsory medical insurance
Health insurance in Armenia
A comprehensive health insurance system is being introduced step by step in Armenia. So far, residents are joining on a voluntary basis. The insurance will become compulsory for the entire population in 2027.
The Ministry of Health assures that compulsory health insurance will be practically free for vulnerable groups. It means that the government will fully subsidize insurance premiums
- for those under 18,
- people 63 and older,
- people with disabilities.
It is these groups, according to experts of the Ministry of Health, who are the most vulnerable in any society in terms of health care costs.
“The government is ready to partially subsidize also insurance premiums of persons with monthly income less than four times the minimum wage, persons employed in agriculture and related to them,” Samvel Kharazyan, advisor to the Minister of Health, said.
In 2024, the comprehensive insurance program will include those under 18 years of age, people with disabilities and those included in the social assistance system. This will total about 1.3 million people.
Next year, people aged 63 and older, as well as employees of budgetary organizations, will be included in the insurance system. In 2026, it is planned to insure all hired workers, self-employed and those employed in farms.
“People don’t go to doctors owing to financial problems.”
Samvel Kharazyan, Advisor to the Minister of Health, said that a model is being introduced that will allow paying small amounts monthly and not worrying about paying for necessary medical services in case of serious health problems. The absence of such a system has led to a significant number of people being unprotected:
“According to the survey, about 12.5% of respondents did not go to a doctor because of financial problems, and about 56% engage in self-medication. And this, we estimate, is also a consequence of financial problems.”
He believes that in addition to fear of going to the doctor, there are fears related to payment. And this leads to an increase in cases when people turn to medical institutions too late, when urgent medical intervention is needed.
A comprehensive health insurance fund is being established
The representative of the Ministry of Health says that 2023 was a preparatory stage, the development of the legislative framework and the insurance package itself began, the prices of services included in it were calculated, and the resources of medical organizations were assessed.
And this year, the stage of practical implementation of the system begins. After the adoption of the law and by-laws, in the second half of the year it is planned to create a fund for comprehensive medical insurance. This structure will make payments to those groups of population, the insurance of which the state fully assumes.
One comprehensive package for all
One comprehensive insurance package has been developed for all citizens of the country. Accordingly, there will be a single annual or monthly rate. Depending on the status of the insured person or the grounds for inclusion in the system, the insurance premium will be subsidized from the state budget for all 100 percent, or 60, 50, 40 or 20 percent.
Kharazyan emphasizes that insurance costs imply relatively small monthly payments, which are not comparable to the costs of expensive medical services, especially in cases when it is necessary to pay for their provision at once.
“The insurance premium will be calculated and transferred by employers, not employees. The self-employed will do it on their own. And insurance payments of persons fully subsidized by the state will be made monthly from the state budget,” he explained.
The package of medical services includes
- preventative examinations
- advanced diagnostic services,
- treatment of diseases,
- continuous monitoring in case of their chronic nature, including the provision of medicines and professional counseling.
“The package also included expensive cardiac surgery services, treatment of oncological diseases – both medication and radiation therapy,” the minister’s advisor said.
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Health insurance in Armenia
