Avanesian said that the system will initially cover medical costs for underage and disabled citizens and several other vulnerable groups of people who are already eligible for many free services. It will be extended to pensioners next year and the entire population in 2027, she told a news conference.
The insurance plan calls for a special tax that will cover the cost of surgeries and other essential medical services. The precise tax rate remains unclear, with Avanesian saying only that a working citizen and/or their employer will pay up to 200,000 drams ($495) annually for such coverage.
Minors, pensioners and persons with disabilities will be exempt from the tax, she said, adding that Armenians earning less than the country’s average wage will enjoy significant tax discounts. The official monthly wage currently stands at 274,000 drams ($675).
Another unanswered question is the diseases, surgeries, other medical procedures and drugs that will be covered by the mandatory insurance. Avanesian did not release their list. She only assured reporters that it will be detailed enough to prevent “misunderstandings” among patients, hospitals and health authorities.
Other officials from the Armenian Ministry of Health said earlier that the new system will pay for heart and cancer surgeries. They said it also envisages free or subsidized medication for people suffering from chronic diseases.
Armenia’s former governments too had promised health insurance for all citizens. But they eventually backed away in the face of financial difficulties. Some medical experts have questioned the current government’s plan, saying that it is short of specifics.
Public access to healthcare in the country declined following the collapse of the Soviet Union as cash-strapped Armenian hospitals were allowed to charge their patients. Most of those hospitals were privatized in the 1990s.