New proposals made on mandatory medical insurance

The State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance will make changes to the basic package of country's compulsory health insurance system (CHI).

Head of Medical Insurance Department of State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance Vugar Gurbanov said that at present, the system of compulsory health insurance is implemented as a pilot project. Some of the diseases found in pilot regions were not included in the basic package, according to Gurbanov and are expected to be reflected in a new package.

The head of the department said that the structure of the new package will also contain diagnoses and related medical appointments and treatments. He added that the existing basic package contains only medical services.

He also mentioned that the package will be ready by the end of this year, adding that the system is planned to be applied throughout the country starting from 2019.

Head of the Department of the Agency for Compulsory Medical Insurance under the Cabinet of Ministers Araz Nasirov said that it is proposed to retain insurance premiums in the form of interest from wages of employees, and in the amount of 120 manats per year for other citizens.

He said that in European countries 5-15 percent are retained from the employer and employee for compulsory medical insurance. In Azerbaijan, at the preliminary stage, it is proposed that the amount of insurance premiums make up about 3 percent, of which 2 percent will fall to the share of the employee and 1 percent to the share of the employer.

These deductions will improve health services, and increase the salaries of health workers, Nasirov noted.

Earlier Zaur Aliyev, Chairman of the Board of the State Agency for Mandatory Insurance said that the approximate amount of insurance premiums for obtaining CHI services is set at 120 manats. According to him, a number of categories of citizens of the country, such as, children, pensioners, disabled people and lowincome families will be exempt from payment of insurance premiums.

The process of full implementation of compulsory health insurance in Azerbaijan will be completed within five years.

The State Agency for Compulsory Medical Insurance began operating in Azerbaijan in February 2016.

Since the end of 2016, the country has been implementing a pilot project on CHI, which currently covers the city of Mingachevir, as well as the Yevlakh and Agdash regions of the country.