Integrated payment against "shadow"?
A pilot project of integrated payment will be introduced in Armenian hospitals starting July 1.
Ara Ter-Grigoryan, Head of the State Health Agency at the Ministry of Health, today gave the classical formulation of integrated payment: "Participation of citizens in the difference of amount paid by the state or even by the insurance structure, and the real cost of services".
It means that part of the sum will be paid by the government, the remaining part - by citizens. The project has two goals: to determine the real amount of payments in the hospitals and avoid secret bargains. Prices will be set by a medical institution, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance and will be available for all citizens. They will be posted on hospital walls.
Arabkir Medical Centre which is reportedly technically equipped is the first to be tested. By the turn of the year, the mechanism of integrated payment will be applied in Surb Grigor Lusavoritch, Erebuni and Armenia medical centers.
No one will deny that there is a "shadow payment" in the system. The new mechanism aims to inform citizens of all expected and unexpected expenses. Today when a patient goes to hospital he is told different prices in different cabinets. After we switch to the new payment system, patients will have to pay for the whole treatment in one cabinet without paying extra money. The Ministry will be consistent and watchful," said Ara ter-Grigoryan.
If a citizen does not concile with the new system, he can visit alternative hospitals.
Payment system in maternity hospitals and polyclinics will remain unchangeable.War veterans and conscript will undergo treatment by government order.
