Kazakhstan will introduce changes to its compulsory social
health insurance system starting next year. A key provision of the law, signed
by the President in July, will extend coverage to more than one million
additional people registered with employment agencies. Under the new
regulation, their insurance contributions will be paid by local
administrations, with funding allocated from local budgets. Another change will
extend the period for retaining insured status from three to six months,
provided individuals have made regular contributions over the past five years.
According to the Health Ministry, the reform is not only necessary but also a
strategic priority.
«We will begin a partial return to the original financial
model outlined in the first edition of the law on compulsory social health
insurance in 2015. Under that model, the state contribution rate was set at 7%,
compared to the current 2%. This will help prevent an increase in contributions
for employees and employers while supporting the long-term sustainability of
the healthcare system. As part of a phased adjustment, the state contribution
rate will rise from 2% this year to 4.7% by 2037, providing the healthcare
system with an additional 2.8 trillion tenge,» said Lazzat Shomanova, Director of
the Department for Analysis and Improvement of Compulsory Social Health
Insurance at the Kazakh Health Ministry.
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