Ukraine's Cabinet on Wednesday, 30 November approved the concept of the Ukrainian healthcare financing reform.
As reported on the website of the Cabinet, the reform establishes a model of national statutory health insurance covering 100% of Ukrainian citizens.
Under the concept, insurance contributions should be carried out through the general taxation system and collected to the state budget. Insurance payments for the treatment of an individual will not be tied to the size of his or her individual contributions.
The relationship between doctor and patient will be regulated by a unified national customer. Its responsibilities will include the planning and procurement of medical services for the citizens. It will contract medical institutions, assess and monitor the quality of services, support an electronic system for collection and exchangeof of health-related information etc.
The government will introduce the concept of guaranteed health care package. It will be is a clearly outlined set of medical services and medicines accessible to all without exception citizens of Ukraine. The guaranteed health care package will be reviewed and published on an annual basis.
The process of transition to a new model of financing of the sector will be gradual and is planned to last three years to be completed in 2020. The concept comes into force upon its approval by the Cabinet of Ministers. By the end of this year, the Ministry of Health should develop a plan for its implementation.
Two years ago, the then Health Minister Aleksandr Kvitashvili said that Ukraine was not ready for medical insurance.