Matvienko suggested that unemployed people pay for compulsory medical insurance themselves

We are talking about able-bodied citizens

Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko proposed changing the system of compulsory health insurance (CHI) for non-working able-bodied citizens. According to her, the costs of compulsory health insurance should be transferred from regional budgets to the citizens themselves who are not officially employed.

“On average across the country, employers pay 45,000 rubles for their employees in healthcare. <...> 700,000 unemployed people in Moscow - they can work for two months to earn at least 45,000 and pay this average insurance,” Matvienko said at parliamentary hearings on budget parameters for 2026–2028.

The speaker clarified that the changes should not affect pensioners, disabled people, children and people with disabilities. According to her, the burden on regional budgets due to unemployed citizens is “huge” and requires revision.

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“It’s unfair for some to pay for others.”

Matvienko noted that officially employed citizens actually pay for health insurance for those who “simply don’t want to work.” She suggested that the issue be referred to committees of the Federation Council and the Ministry of Finance for consideration.

“We understand that among the unemployed there are many people of working age who allegedly do not work and do not pay any fees for their medical care. This creates a significant burden on the regions,” she emphasized.

The initiative was supported by the head of the Legislative Assembly of Karelia Elissan Shandalovich, saying that “the time has come to restore order in the compulsory medical insurance system.”

Sobyanin: 10 million does not work and is not limited

The problem of financing compulsory medical insurance was previously raised by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. According to him, the capital annually transfers 180 billion rubles to the medical insurance fund for unemployed people, and the regions as a whole - about 1 trillion rubles.

“A person who works, works hard, a pensioner who has worked his way through the labor force, is provided with health insurance. And a person who doesn’t do anything and doesn’t want to, we also guarantee insurance for him,” Sobyanin said.

According to the mayor, about 10 million Russians of working age do not work, have no restrictions and have not applied for social support, but still enjoy rights in the compulsory medical insurance system.

In September, the Ministry of Health introduced amendments to the law on compulsory medical insurance concerning foreign citizens temporarily working in Russia. It is proposed to establish data exchange between social insurance and health insurance funds for a more accurate accounting of insured persons.

Matvienko emphasized that the reform should not violate the constitutional rights of citizens, but is obliged to “restore justice and remove the excess burden from regional budgets.”

In May 2024, “Layout” told how in Russia they are trying to quickly increase the population’s satisfaction with medicine . It turned out that making an appointment with a doctor has become easy, but getting help is not easy

Photo: Valentina Matvienko, May 14, 2024. Anadolu via Reuters Connect

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