ArmInfo. To develop compulsory health insurance in Armenia, it is necessary to put an end to informal agreements between insurers and medical institutions, Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan stated at a meeting with representatives of local insurance companies.
According to him, it is necessary to improve the quality of service within the social package. One of the main tasks is to expand the range of insurance and sharply increase the number of insurers. This goal can be achieved through the formation of an efficiently operating and at the same time affordable system. "In this regard, the main issue on our agenda should be the increase of people's trust by taking steps to identify and eliminate shortcomings, which in turn will reduce the number of complaints received from them," stressed Torosyan. During the meeting, the insurers touched upon the issues they are interested in, in particular, the possibility of introducing insurance against medical malpractice. Torosyan assured the representatives of insurance companies that any issue related to the field will be submitted by the Ministry for discussion.
To note, starting from October 1, 2017, the gradual introduction of compulsory medical insurance launched in Armenia, which started with a social package for civil servants - about 100 thousand beneficiaries, funded by the Ministry of Health through state funds. At the second stage, from the second half of 2018 the social package covered the most unsecured segments of the population - 612,000 RA citizens. Only a year later, with positive results of these two stages, compulsory medical insurance will fully work in Armenia, covering all the remaining working citizens of the country. According to Ranking of insurance companies of Armenia prepared by ArmInfo as of July 30, 2018, medical insurance occupies the second position in total premiums of insurance companies - 35.2% or 7.7 billion drams (over $ 16 million), with y-o-y growth 2.1-fold. Loss ratio of health insurance in the average market increased in the y-o-y terms from 41.7% to 42.5%. All six insurance companies operating in Armenia are involved in the health insurance segment. INGO Armenia, Rosgosstrakh Armenia and Nairi Insurance are in the TOP-3 in this class, accounting for a total of 5.9 bln drams ($ 12.3 mln) or about 77% of total medical insurance premiums.
