Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 27/ Trend U. Ismaylova/
The obligatory medical insurance is expected to be introduced from March-April in Azerbaijan, MP Hadi Rajabli, head of constant Parliamentary commission on social issues, said on Jan. 27.
"Within the next 20 days a regulation of the agency on obligatory medical insurance under Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers is expected to be approved," Rajabli said.
According to him, after approving a regulation, the agency will operate actively first in Siyazan region then all over the country.
The creation of Azerbaijan's medical social insurance system is carried out within the framework of the World Bank project to reform public health system directed to improve quality of medical services.
In December 2008 the agency on obligatory medical insurance was established under Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers. So, 1.4 million manat was allocated from public budget 2008 to introduce the system but 51.11 million manat is envisaged for 2009.
A list of services of the first medical care consisting of 190 services to be rendered within the framework of medical insurance will be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in the near future.
The amount of allocation of population's incomes for obligatory medical insurance will be specified after completion of preparation work. It is likely to total about 2.5%-3% given experience of other countries, Rajabli said earlier.
The most difficult moment in this process is to manage expenditures of the state agency. First, it is required to form a system of public health and population must be informed that an individual registration of medical insurance is carried out. Accordingly, citizens will be able to get medical insurance depending on transferred means.
Earlier the Azerbaijan's State Fund of Social Protection of the population offered its participation in collection of means for medical insurance given experience of accumulation of allocation for obligatory social insurance. But, in accordance with President's decree, the established agency will deal with accumulation of means, Rajabli said.
According to the State Fund of Social Protection, $ 200 million is spent annually for medical care in the country. Presently, medical insurance is carried out at some joint enterprises and companies.
On Jan. 27, the official exchange rate is 0.8048 manat to $1.
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