Armenia to switch to co-payment system in February
Armenian medical institutions will switch to co-payment system for healthcare services starting February 1.
Part of the sum will be paid by the government, the remaining part by the patient. Different prices have been set for capital and rural patients, ranging from AMD 80 000 to 150 000.
Head of the State Healthcare Agency at the Ministry of Health Ara Ter-Grigoryan says in extreme cases rural residents will pay only 30% of the money.
"The rest will be paid by the state. This will prevent the flow of rural patients to the capital," he said.
In 2010, co-payment system was applied in three hospitals in Yerevan - Arabkir and Nairi medical centers and Malayan Eye Center.
Ara Ter-Grigoryan says this is a flexible system and suggests certain discounts.
"We have had cases when the patient left the hospital without paying. In the future, we shall conclude a legal agreement with patients to exclude repetition of similar cases," he said.
According to the Ministry of Health, the project has two goals: to determine the real amount of payments in hospitals, avoid secret bargains and make the system transparent. It will also help increase the wages of medical staff. The doctor will receive bonus points for each patient, which will be added to his salary.
The system will not cover socially vulnerable groups whose names will be available in hospitals.
According to Ara Ter-Grigoryan, Armenia has received $19 million loan to improve regional medical centers.
Asked how the country is going to repay the debt, he said, "As far as I know, this is a privileged loan and we shall return it without paying interests. This is encouraging as our country is not able to make its own investments."
