Russian Healthcare System

Russian healthcare market consists of three main branches: Mandatory Health Insurance (about 60% of the St. Petersburg’s market), Voluntary Health Insurance (about 8% of the market) and the sector of legal paid medical services (32% of the market) (Malachova 2004).

Basic medical care, including emergency services, is provided free to every person in the Russian Federation in accordance to the a system of Mandatory Health Insurance (MHI). Due to Federal Law of Russian Federation № 326 of Mandatory Health Insurance, it is obligatory for an employer to provide employees with a simplest health insurance. According to Federal Law of Russian Federation № 323 Article 21 of Freedom of Selection of Medical Organization, they (employees) decide by their own upon the medical organization to utilize the insurance. In other words, every Russian Federation resident has a right to have the MHI and insurance company which issues the MHI does not prescribe any specific medical organizations to provide those healthcare services.

There exist a number of different types of medical organizations, these are hospitals, polyclinics, dispensaries, health centers, clinics, specialized clinics, maternity hospitals, emergency stations and others. According to the federal and regional legislation, healthcare organizations can participate in the MHI system regardless to the form of ownership.

However, a list of medical services provided under the MHI is limited and if the patient requires additional treatment, he/she has to obtain an additional services beyond those included in the basic package. These services may be obtained as a paid medical service or through a Voluntary Health Insurance (VHI). According to the Law of the Russian Federation of 28.06.1991 N 1499-1, employer can conclude the contract with Insurance Company for providing enhanced medical services for the employees (Insurance covers more sophisticated cases). Insurance company chooses the medical organization(s) to work with. The major consumers of VHI in St. Petersburg are large Russian and foreign companies, where employers obtain VHI for its workers in order to get the advantage in recruiting process, in retaining the workers, as well as to enhance corporate image.

The cost of VHI programs varies depending on the spectrum of healthcare services included. The basic programs include all the medical and diagnostic aid from therapist and specialists, to the opportunity to call a doctor to the house and make an examination of temporary disability (sick leave certificates). These programs can also cover dental care, emergency medical aid, hospital treatment, surgical and conservative treatment, physiotherapy, massage in some cases, costs of medical drugs and other necessary medical means. (Stockholm Region Office in St. Petersburg 2010.)

Дата добавления: 2015-11-30