Within the complete mandatory medical insurance system in Armenia, the cost of the insurance package will be the same for everyone, but the amount of state subsidy will be different, Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan told a press conference Wednesday.

She informed that this medical insurance package will include the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system, tumors, diabetes and other widespread diseases, including expensive surgical interventions. Screening programs, prophylactic measures, annual medical examinations, and drug treatment will also be included here.

At the same time, the health minister warned that this medical insurance system will not and cannot cover everything, and there are priority issues that need to be resolved. For example, immunotherapy and plastic surgery in case of breast cancer will not be included in the package.

"We will not make empty promises. The most important thing is to move forward step by step. There will be no reductions in chemotherapeutic drug programs, they will be increased," said Avanesyan. 

Avanesyan added that the complete medical insurance fee will not depend on the amount of income, and a certain amount of fees will be set. People for whom the state should not pay—disabled persons and other disadvantaged population groups—must pay by themselves every month. 

"We will make the services included in the [complete medical insurance] package affordable for everyone. Salaries in the army and law enforcement agencies will be increased, also taking into account that it will be directed to medical insurance payments. If a person loses his job, he will remain in the system for some time due to the [medical insurance] payments made previously. The amount of subsidy for university students is also being discussed. The state will insure the children, the parents will not pay for it," the health minister emphasized.

She added that this complete medical insurance package in Armenia will be combined for those sections of the population for which the state pays. In particular, disabled persons will no longer be divided into groups, and the package of provided services will be broader than the services received by disabled people of the third group, she assured.

Beneficiaries of the social package in Armenia will continue to use medical services on the account of the state, but the complete medical insurance package will cost more than the current medical component of the social package. Moreover, according to the health minister, beneficiaries of the social package will be given the opportunity to additionally pay for medical insurance from other components of the social package.

According to the health minister, today the residents of Armenia pay two, if not three times more than their annual insurance fee for an average medical examination and surgical intervention. However, if the person pays during the year, but does not use the services, then the paid amount will not be accumulated and will not be transferred for the next year.

Anahit Avanesyan assured that a monitoring system will be implemented by the medical institutions of Armenia for the fulfillment of their obligations, the violation of which will lead to financial and other penalties.