Questions about Healthcare in Russia
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund in Russia?
The Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund, known by its Russian initials OMS, is the primary mechanism through which Russia funds its constitutional guarantee of free healthcare. Established as part of the 1991-1993 reforms, it collects compulsory insurance contributions, primarily deducted from salaries, and channels funds to healthcare providers. About 48 percent of total health expenditure comes from government sources, largely through this insurance system.
When did Russia's constitution guarantee the right to free healthcare?
The Constitution of the Russian Federation, adopted in 1993, confirmed every citizen's right to healthcare and medical assistance free of charge under Article 41. This right has existed on paper since that year, though access and quality have varied considerably depending on funding levels and regional conditions.
What was the Semashko system of Soviet healthcare?
The Semashko system was the Soviet Union's fully state-run healthcare model, named after Nikolai Semashko, who served as People's Commissar of Public Health from the 11th of July 1918 until the 25th of January 1930. It was centralized, integrated, and hierarchically organized, with all health personnel as state employees and healthcare provided free to all citizens. Writing in 2000, P. Mihaly characterized it as a "coherent, cost-effective system to cope with the medical necessities of its own time."
How many doctors and nurses worked in Russian healthcare in 2008?
In 2008, Russian healthcare employed 621,000 doctors and 1.3 million nurses. The ratio of doctors per 10,000 people was 43.8 nationally, but only 12.1 in rural areas. General practitioners made up just 1.26 percent of the total number of doctors.
What caused occupational disease rates in Russia to be so low officially?
Russia's officially reported occupational disease rates are far below those of most industrial countries, despite 1 in 3 workers being exposed to harmful conditions exceeding national hygiene standards. Researchers attribute this to an insufficient number of specialists in occupational medicine, inadequate diagnostic and registration procedures, economic pressure on medical organizations that conduct employer-required examinations, and workers' fear of losing their jobs if they report illnesses.
What is voluntary health insurance in Russia and who uses it?
Voluntary health insurance, introduced in October 1992, is Russia's private insurance market distinct from the state-mandated OMS system. Corporate clients account for 90 percent of all policies, with employer-sponsored schemes costing between 30,000 and 40,000 rubles per year in 2016. In Moscow, 3.1 million people held voluntary policies in 2014, covering 20.8 percent of the city's population. Private insurance is concentrated in larger cities like Moscow and St Petersburg, where income levels can support it.