Digitalization of universal health insurance system to resolve  traceability problem - minister 

ArmInfo.Digitalization of the universal health insurance system will resolve the issue of traceability of the Health Insurance Fund's financial flows. This was  stated by RA Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan on January 30 during working discussions in the National Assembly.

According to her, at this stage, it is crucial to monitor the volume  of visits, specific medical services provided, and the amount of  funds spent per citizen. This will allow for clear statistics, but to  address this issue, it is necessary to have a sufficient electronic  database to promptly assess the Fund's expenses and the number of  visits. This measure, Avanesyan noted, is necessary for the effective  management of the system and the funding volumes for each calendar  year. The minister reported that, according to the current situation,  1.571 million people are already enrolled in the mandatory health  insurance system, of which only 18.3% are those with employment  contracts that pay them at least 200,000 drams per month. All other  citizens, or 81.7%, according to the minister, are fully covered by  the state. Another 39.3% are children under 18, and 32.5% are  individuals aged 65 and older. In addition to this category of  citizens, 9.3% are members of vulnerable groups.

The minister also reported that within six months, the possibility of  including the remaining segments of the population in the system will  be considered, starting in 2027, rather than 2028 as previously  planned.  As a reminder, the mandatory health insurance system is  expected to be implemented over a three-year period. The first stage  began on January 1, 2026. The system covers children under 18,  individuals aged 65 and older (even if employed), individuals with  disabilities aged 18 to 65, members of socially vulnerable families,  and individuals earning over 200,000 drams. The base cost of an  insurance policy in 2026 will be 129,600 drams (10,800 drams per  month). 

Part of this amount is reimbursed from payments to the Zinapa  Military Insurance Fund. These payments, increased in 2021, are now  returning to their previous level of 1,000 drams, regardless of  salary. The remaining portion will be reimbursed to beneficiaries  upon filing their annual personal income tax return. However, in  2026, these amounts will be reimbursed monthly from the state budget. 

A state fund has been created to manage the system. It will operate  under temporary management for three months, after which a state  selection committee will form its board of directors, which, as  stated in the Concept for the Implementation of Compulsory Medical  Insurance, will be chaired by the Minister of Health.