The persons who purchase health policies individually can buy one at half price between January 2 and March 31. Farmland owners benefit from discounts of 75% in the period. The health policies are already distributed through post offices and the local offices of the National Health Insurance Company (CNAM).

The medical insurance is mandatory. Contacted by IPN, head of the Company’s communication with the mass media service Lilia Onea said that 1.7% of the Moldovans purchase policies by themselves. These are the owners of private companies, patent holders, lesees, freelancers, etc. In the first three months of this year, the policy can be bought for 2,028 lei. For farmland owners, it costs 1,014 lei.

Lilia Onea stated that the common mandatory health insurance program covers 90% of the medical services provided by hospitals. This year the authorities will focus more on the quality of the provided services rather than on the extension of the list of services covered by the policy. The CNAM will verify the quality of services. From January 2, the CNAM will sign new contracts with the providers of medical services.

Under the new contacts, penalties will be imposed on hospitals for different violations, including for offering only a part of the program services to patients. Until now the CNAM was unable to punish the managers of medical institutions.

For the first time, the CNAM will carry out a survey among hospital patients to find out their opinions about the quality of the provided services, including the conditions in the hospital and food. There will be launched a service for relations with beneficiaries. They will be able to contact the service’s specialists and to inform about the problems they encountered in medical institutions. As a result, the Company will carry out inspections and impose penalties.

The health policy in 2014 costs 4,056 lei, by 740 lei less than last year. The health insurance contributions are also higher – 4% paid by the employer and 4% paid by the employee.