Results of the Expert Roundtable "Future of Medical Insurance"
On November 26, 2013, the expert roundtable "Future of Medical Insurance" was held in the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration based on the regular interactive discussion platform "Viable Healthcare". The discussion was dedicated to the urgent problems of the compulsory medical insurance and optimal solutions for these problems. RANEPA is organizer of the interactive discussion platform. EY, Janssen and Novartis are partners of the platform. ACIG Group of Companies is its operator.
Among the participants of the event were Nelli Naigovzina, Deputy Chief of the Government Staff of the Russian Federation, Airat Farrakhov, Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation, Ildar Fatikhov, Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, Svetlana Kravchuk, Chief of Department of the Compulsory Medical Insurance Organization of the Federal Fund of Compulsory Medical Insurance, Vadim Vlasov, President of Novartis Group Russia, Irina Dorokhova, Director Government Affairs for Russia, Central and Eastern Europe at Johnson & Johnson, as well as the representatives of field-specific federal agencies, heads of medical and educational institutions and the leading experts in the fields of public health and insurance.
The moderators of the roundtable "Future of Medical Insurance" were Vladimir Starodubov, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and Vladimir Nazarov, Director of theFederal State Government-Financed Institution Research Financial Institute (RFI).
The event was opened by the Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Airat Farrakhov. In his speech, he stressed the relevance of the event agenda and the need to develop solutions aimed at improving the compulsory medical insurance system with the assistance of the expert community. He also spoke on the forthcoming changes in the healthcare system and increasing the funding of the compulsory medical insurance system within the framework of the Strategy of the long-term socio-economic development of the Russian Federation until 2020. "Adopting effective strategy will contribute to modernizing the healthcare system, including reducing the needles costs we have now," emphasized Airat Farrakhov.
In his speech, Vladimir Nazarov noted the significance of the new architecture of the compulsory medical insurance. There is an opinion that the system of compulsory medical insurance does not justify itself, as the insurance intermediaries absorb budget money and this reporting system is the only useful part of the compulsory medical insurance. "When there are no big changes in politics and economy, it is better to try out new projects in the regions," said the expert. Some claim that the quality compulsory medical insurance system has not been yet created and does not meet the existing demands. Insurance companies are not aware of the risks and cannot manage them. These issues, which are relevant for both the country's leaders and the Open Government, must be clarified and dealt with.
Addressing the discussion participants, Vladimir Starodubov drew the attention to the necessity to look for alternative approaches and the importance of taking into account the already existing experience of compulsory medical insurance system work.
Within the framework of the discussion, the President of the Interregional Union of Medical Insurers (IUME) Dmitry Kuznetsov, presented a report and suggested practical solutions for enhancing compulsory and optional medical insurance systems.
In his report, Christopher Davis, Head of the Laboratory of Economics of Healthcare Reform of the Social Analysis and Forecasting Institute at RANEPA, shared foreign experience in compulsory medical insurance systems reforms. "Healthcare and medical insurance reforms are also dependant on the reaction of the industry groups: doctors, producers, insurers."
Discussing the international practice, the roundtable participants remarked that still there are no examples of successful implementation of the "risk" insurance system and that it is necessary to take into account the implementation experience of such problems in Germany and the Netherlands.
Anna Fedorova, Representative of A.T. Kearney in Russia, spoke about the prospects of introducing drug insurance system based on international experience. "it makes sense to unite the compulsory and optional medical insurance funding, clearly defining the share of drug insurance," said the expert. According to Svetlana Kravchuk, Chief of Department of the Compulsory Medical Insurance Organization Federal Fund of Compulsory Medical Insurance, the cost of development and implementation of the compulsory drug insurance system will amount to 120 billion rubles.
"People, having used their drug insurance, will of course increase the rate of consumption. Taking into account that the consumption in Russia is 5-7 times less than in the developed countries, the insurance market size should be estimated precisely to this number," noted Nelli Naigovzina, Deputy Chief of the Government Staff of the Russian Federation, in her speech.
Irina Dorokhova, Director Government Affairs for Russia, Central and Eastern Europe at Johnson & Johnson, gave a report on investments in medical innovations as an economy development factor. The expert proposed an absolutely new model of forming the drug cost. She also said that this year, within the framework of the B20 working group on innovations, a group on biotechnologies has been formed. In addition, the speaker noted that healthcare has become a priority for G8.
Official website of the platform: www.viablehealthcare.ru
