Kazakhstan’s Health Ministry Dismisses Petition to Abolish Social Health Insurance

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Health has no plans to abolish the country’s Compulsory Social Health Insurance (CSHI) system, Vice Minister Timur Muratov said in response to a public petition calling for its termination, Orda.kz reports.

Speaking at a Central Communications Service briefing, Muratov reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to further developing the system.

We all understand that this is one of the achievements of the civilized world. CSHI ensures equal rights and access to medical care, he stated. 

Muratov also clarified that contributions to CSHI are not directly linked to infrastructure improvements.

Infrastructure is funded through various investments, including from the state budget. CSHI funds are not intended for building medical facilities,he noted. 

Previously, Orda.kz reported that private dental clinics across Kazakhstan were being hit with lawsuits from the CSHI fund, demanding the return of payments.

The claims stem from audit findings, though in some cases, courts found no actual audits had occurred. Many of the disputes relate to payments for anesthesia. Some private clinics are choosing to exit the CSHI system altogether.

Original Author: Artyom Volkov