Compulsory health insurance program launched in Kazakhstan
In addition, according to the Kazakh Healthcare Ministry, the activities of the Medical Insurance Fund will begin on January 1, 2018. The state's Insurance contributions for the economically inactive population will also be received since January 1, 2018, while the population will get medical assistance under the compulsory medical insurance program.
What will a citizen of the country get from the insurance system? First, it is medical care in any clinic individually chosen by him/her in the territory of Kazakhstan. In this case, the costs of the clinic will be fully covered by the fund. Secondly, the people of Kazakhstan will be exempt from all kinds of additional payments for medical care set in the packages of the guaranteed compulsory free medical care and the compulsury insurance system. Thirdly, full access to an expanded and improved list of medicines provided to a person in any pharmacy in the country (registered in the fund as a supplier of pharmaceutical services). Fourthly, the availability of monthly information on the contributions transferred to the fund in favor of a citizen, and the services received by him/her in the medical organizations. Fifthly, the fund shall protect the rights and interests of insured citizens in the event of poor service or violation of their rights as the participants in the system.
In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Compulsory Social Health Insurance", participation in the system is mandatory for all citizens. An employer shall be responsible for non-payment of contributions. The contribution amounts will grow every year: 2pct in 2017, 3pct in 2018, 4pct in 2019 and 5pct in 2020 and so on. The purpose is to make people get used to the new system.
The employees, in turn, will help the employers: each of us will deduct 1pct from salary since 2019, and 2pct since 2020, and this amount will not grow further. Self-employed citizens, i.e. entrepreneurs, notaries, private court bailiffs and lawyers, will ultimately pay 7 percent of their income for insurance. They are also given a chance to get used to the system as the amount of deductions will grow gradually: 2pct in 2017, 3pct in 2018, 5pct in 2019 and 7pct since 2020.
Deductions are made by the employer on a monthly basis. Thus, the employees do not need to pay cash on their own. As to individual entrepreneurs, private notaries, private bailiffs, lawyers and professional mediators, they will deduct the money by themselves through direct transfer to the fund's account.
There are several other things to consider. According to item 2 of the article of the Law of Kazakhstan "On Compulsory Social Health Insurance", foreiners and the stateless persons permanently residing in Kazakhstan, as well as repatriates, shall enjoy the rights and responsibilities in the compulsory social health insurance system on equal terms with the citizens of Kazakhstan, except as otherwise provided in this Law. Migrant workers are provided with medical assistance through interstate agreements. For example, on the territory of 5 countries of the Eurasian space (Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Belarus), emergency medical services is free. If such agreements are not available, migrant workers will receive medical care in accordance with their medical insurance policies, and for free in case the diseases are dangerous to other people.