From January 1, 2025, new rules for the provision of medical services by state and communal institutions will come into force in Ukraine. The Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution that provides for the possibility of providing paid medical services in cases not covered by the state guarantee program.
When will you have to pay for medical care?
Paid services will be provided in the following cases:
- Application without a doctor's referral (except for cases where a referral is not required).
- Medical services under contracts with legal entities.
- Services in security and defense sector facilities for non-attached patients.
- Services not included in the medical guarantee program.
Additional services that are paid separately:
- Medical assistance at home at the request of the patient (if it is not determined by his condition).
- Possibility to choose a doctor for scheduled specialized care.
- Stay in a ward with increased comfort at the patient's request.
Transparency and price control
All state and municipally owned health care institutions are obliged to:
- Place a complete list of paid and free services with an indication of their cost on official websites and information stands.
- Ensure the registration of paid services is documented, with entry into the electronic health care system.
- Accept payment exclusively in non-cash form.
The cost of paid services will be determined by the institutions themselves, which allows them to adapt to the financial needs and capabilities of patients.
What remains free?
Primary and emergency medical care will be provided without referrals or payment. In addition, you can contact the following specialists without a referral:
- obstetrician-gynecologist,
- psychiatrist,
- narcologist,
- dentist,
- pediatrician,
- phthisiologist,
- a doctor with whom a patient is under observation due to a chronic disease.
Advantages of the reform
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that these changes are aimed at improving the quality of services and transparency of funding of the health care system. Thanks to this, patients will be able to choose convenient service conditions, while public hospitals will receive additional financial resources for development.
