The launch of Armenia’s universal health insurance system, originally planned for 2024, has been postponed, announced Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan during discussions on the 2025 state budget.
According to the minister, the 18 billion drams (about $46.4 million) allocated in the 2024 budget for the insurance system’s implementation were partially reallocated to other programs as the project had not yet commenced. The 2025 budget draft does not include funding for these purposes.
The concept for universal health insurance was approved by the Armenian government in February 2023, outlining a phased implementation from 2023 to 2027, covering all medical services except dentistry and plastic surgery.
The initial plan allowed voluntary participation in the program until 2025, after which pensioners were to be included at the state’s expense, with full mandatory coverage for all citizens by 2027. The reform's primary aim is to ensure equal access to quality healthcare for all residents, regardless of social status.
A new timeline for launching the universal health insurance system has yet to be announced.
BMG reminds that the Armenian Ministry of Health’s budget for 2025 will amount to 162.996 billion drams (approximately $420.1 million), which is 5.3 billion drams (around $13.7 million) less than the amount allocated in the 2024 budget.
