MOSCOW, June 28, 2011 — The World Bank in Russia hosted a workshop on “Voluntary Health Insurance” focusing on a discussion of the potential role of Voluntary Health Insurance (VHI) in the Russia Federation. The event has gathered experts from the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Compulsory Health Insurance Funds and the Expert Group on “Health and the Human Environment”.
Background information
In the majority of OECD countries citizens obtain basic health coverage through the public or mandatory health insurance (MHI) system where premiums are not allowed to depend on the health status. Further medical services can be obtained through VHI. VHI can be classified according to its role in relation to the MHI. Substitutive (or alternative) VHI address deficiencies in the breadth of public system coverage, by providing financial protection to groups of people who are excluded from or allowed to opt out from the public system. For example, in Germany insured with an income above the eligibility ceiling can opt out from the Mandatory Health Insurance system (MHI) to seek insurance in the private market. The option was available in the Netherlands until the reform of 2004. With the exception of Georgia, substitutive VHI plays essentially no role in the countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. Complementary VHI cover health services excluded from the public system’s package of benefits. For example complementary VHI is purchased by more than 90% of the population in the Netherlands to cover for dental, vision and alternative medical care not included in the public mandatory package. In other countries, like Belgium and France a large portion of insured population takes out complementary insurance to cover the financial risks of co-payments. Supplementary VHI, on the other hand, does not exceed the health package covered by the public MHI, but provides policy-holders with faster access to health care, a higher level of inpatient amenities and greater choice of provider, in comparison with those using publicly financed services. Supplementary VHI are widespread in OECD countries. For example about 80% of the Swiss population subscribes a supplementary VHI. A significant portion of other European countries (e.g. Germany, Italy and the Netherlands) are covered by supplementary insurance.
The Russia Federation is currently considering and the possibility of introducing VHI to complement the existing MHI system. International experts and World Bank staff will present international experiences surrounding the introduction of VHI in various European countries, and engaged Russian policy makers in open discussions regarding future direction of VHI in the Russia Federation in the context of the new Mandatory Health Insurance law approved in November 2010.
WORKSHOP Materials
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Hans Maarse
Health insurance reform in the Netherlands: overview and update
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