Tweet
CO-PAYMENT OF MEDICAL SERVICES BY PATIENTS WILL BRING MEDICINE OUT OF THE 'SHADOW'
ArmInfo
2010-06-14 19:46:00
ArmInfo. The reformation of Armenia's medical service system will
allow to bring medicine out of the "shadow," Head of the State Health
Care Agency of the Health Care Ministry of Armenia Ara Ter-Grigoryan
said during a press-conference today.
Today, the shadow turnover in the medical sector is twice as big as
the total amount of payments for medical services.
To remind, June 13 the Government of Armenia decided to launch July
13 a pilot project to introduce at some hospitals a system stipulating
co-payment of medical services by patients.
This system stipulates partial involvement of patients in the payment
of the medical services they receive, more specifically, they will
have to pay the difference between the state cost of the services and
their real market price. The pilot project will be implemented for 6
months at Arabkir, Erebuni and Armenia medical centers and, in case
of success, the system will be applied in all medical institutions
of Armenia.
All tariffs will be coordinated by medical institutions and the
ministries of health care and finance. Obstetric services will remain
state-financed as their state pricing is equivalent to their real cost,
including the wages of doctors and the cost of necessary medicines. In
the last few years the budgetary financing of obstetrics has grown
from 2.5bln AMD to 7.1bln AMD. Disabled people of the first group,
WWII veterans, orphans and draftees will be treated free of charge.
The co-payment system will allow patients to plan their medical
expenses beforehand and to "stop guessing whom to pay and how much."
The Health Care Ministry will closely control this field so as to
prevent bribery. The new program will be the first step towards
compulsory medical insurance in Armenia.
From: A. Papazian
ArmInfo
2010-06-14 19:46:00
ArmInfo. The reformation of Armenia's medical service system will
allow to bring medicine out of the "shadow," Head of the State Health
Care Agency of the Health Care Ministry of Armenia Ara Ter-Grigoryan
said during a press-conference today.
Today, the shadow turnover in the medical sector is twice as big as
the total amount of payments for medical services.
To remind, June 13 the Government of Armenia decided to launch July
13 a pilot project to introduce at some hospitals a system stipulating
co-payment of medical services by patients.
This system stipulates partial involvement of patients in the payment
of the medical services they receive, more specifically, they will
have to pay the difference between the state cost of the services and
their real market price. The pilot project will be implemented for 6
months at Arabkir, Erebuni and Armenia medical centers and, in case
of success, the system will be applied in all medical institutions
of Armenia.
All tariffs will be coordinated by medical institutions and the
ministries of health care and finance. Obstetric services will remain
state-financed as their state pricing is equivalent to their real cost,
including the wages of doctors and the cost of necessary medicines. In
the last few years the budgetary financing of obstetrics has grown
from 2.5bln AMD to 7.1bln AMD. Disabled people of the first group,
WWII veterans, orphans and draftees will be treated free of charge.
The co-payment system will allow patients to plan their medical
expenses beforehand and to "stop guessing whom to pay and how much."
The Health Care Ministry will closely control this field so as to
prevent bribery. The new program will be the first step towards
compulsory medical insurance in Armenia.
From: A. Papazian