Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

Compulsory medical insurance, being a new direction in the social policy of the Azerbaijani government, includes over 1,800 medical services.

Zaur Aliyev, Director of the State Agency for compulsory health insurance under the Cabinet of Ministers, announced about this as he addressed the event on Monday held in connection with the introduction of compulsory health insurance in the country’s Yevlakh region.

Among the services covered by the insurance, Aliyev mentioned inspection, treatment, diagnostic procedures, surgical procedures, and other services.

“Certain diseases, treatments of which are realized at the expense of government programs, have not been included in the basic package of the CHI. In the future it is planned to include them, as well. We hope that the use of compulsory medical insurance in this area will be successful and in a short period of CHI will be applied throughout the country,” he said.

The state agency has already prepared a basic package of mandatory health insurance and submitted it to the Cabinet, he emphasized.

“In accordance with the order of President Ilham Aliyev, one of the important issues is to ensure access to health services for all citizens. The compulsory insurance is an integral part of health care reform. Because the use of compulsory medical insurance will increase the financial capacity of the health system,” Aliyev said.

Azerbaijan has only voluntary medical insurance currently. The mandatory insurance program will enable citizens to receive free, high-quality medical care and eliminate unofficial payments.

The State Agency for Compulsory Health Care Insurance was established in February 2016. Currently, the state agency is drafting a pilot project on compulsory health insurance, which is expected to be implemented before the end of the year.

Experts believe that the application of the compulsory health insurance will nearly halve citizens’ expenses for health services.

International practice shows the preparation for the introduction of compulsory health insurance and its full implementation in the country could take three to five years.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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