The Russian government has extended and expanded the program of state guarantees of free medical care until 2025, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at an operational meeting with deputy prime ministers.
“In accordance with the assignment received from the President, the government continues to improve the availability and quality of medical care. For this purpose, the program of state guarantees of free medical care was expanded and extended until 2025. It enables citizens to receive, among other things, high-tech and specialized assistance,” Mikhail Mishustin said.
The program provides for an increased number of available types of services, an expansion of possibilities of medical rehabilitation, which will now be also arranged at home, with the provision of necessary medical devices to patients. Russia’s Prime Minister also explained that the program includes new areas, such as prevention and treatment of patients with hepatitis C, as well as early detection of diabetes and its treatment.
Tatyana Golikova spoke in more detail about additional guarantees of free medical care to citizens: “The financing of the program under compulsory medical insurance has been increased by 295 billion rubles in 2023, including an increase in the salary fund by at least 8.5%. The expenses for high-tech medical care will increase by almost 8 billion rubles, which will allow for high-tech interventions in 1.3 million cases. The volumes of primary health care and medical rehabilitation for 2023 are also increased, by 14% and 35% respectively.
The program includes the following provisions:
- People with mobility impairment, as well as those living in remote and rural areas, are allowed to receive rehabilitation at home, provided that there are indications for such rehabilitation.
- Primary-level medical organizations that do not have enough rehabilitation specialists will be entitled to receive telemedicine consultations, including from federal specialists.
- Special attention is paid to the volume and accessibility of follow-up monitoring of citizens with chronic diseases.
- By March 1, 2023, the Ministry of Health will determine the criteria for the treatment of patients with hepatitis C in day and night hospitals that can be provided under compulsory medical insurance.
- Specific measures are provided for the development of schools of diabetes.
- Provisions are made for field work by specialists of federal medical organizations, who will also provide patient evacuation.
- The Federal Health Insurance Fund will analyze the expenses of medical organizations in comparison with the structure of expenses in 2022.
Mishustin added that on behalf of the President, the government has established, from January 1, 2023, special social benefits for doctors, mid-level and junior medical personnel employed in primary health care, in ambulance units, as well as performing their professional duties in rural and remote areas. The additional payments to salaries will range from 4,500 to 18,500 rubles per month, depending on the job title. In general, about 1.1 million people across the country will receive it, including the new regions of Russia. The amount allocated for these purposes this year is more than 152 billion rubles.
