YEREVAN, March 17, /ARKA/. Armenian health minister Harutyun Kushkian said Tuesday the ministry was looking into the possibility of introducing mandatory medical insurance. Speaking at a news conference he said introduction of mandatory medical insurance must be preceded by expansion and consolidation of the insurance market.
The minister said a special working group was set up that is working with Central Bank experts to learn the possibility of introducing mandatory medical insurance. He said the ministry is working also actively with lawmakers for expansion of capacities of acting insurance companies which offer also medical and health insurance services. ‘I am sure that very soon we shall be able to make concrete moves in this direction,’ he said.
The Armenian parliament is considering currently a bill on introduction of mandatory insurance of vehicles. There are 12 insurance companies in Armenia, whose operations are supervised by the Central Bank. Total assets of Armenian insurance companies totaled 17 billion Drams late in 2009. Their aggregate liabilities reached 4.6 billion Drams and their aggregate capital was worth 12.4 billion Drams. Last year they earned 967.1 million Drams in net profits, while the amount of insurance payments was 8.1 billion Drams. ($1 – 394.48 Drams). -0-
