Insured people can choose their family doctors from any part of the country

Beneficiaries of mandatory health insurances can choose their primary medical institution and family doctor from any district or locality within the country, regardless of their residence. Lilia Onea, head of the Information and Mass Media Communication Service of the National Health Insurance Company (CNAM), told Info-Prim Neo that the nearest period in which a person can register to another primary medical institution is September 1 – October 31. The person that wants to change his/her family doctor or institution, must submit a request to the desired institution's administration, in which he/she can even specify the name of the family doctor. The request is examined accord to internal regulations, and consequently the person is announce whether there are any places available for that institution and the doctor chosen. If a person is registered, he/she can benefit from the medical services of the institution, based on the insurance policy, starting with next year's January 1. In the case of home assistance, the patient must cover transportation costs. Lilia Onea mentioned that the transfer to other doctors or institutions is typical for people residing in rural areas, who opt for family doctors from cities. CNAM, however, recommends the insurance holders to opt for a family doctor or institution as close to their residence as possible, in order to allow the doctor to reach the patients faster. The beneficiaries of the mandatory health insurance can check their primary institution, and family doctor assigned to them, by accessing the website of the National Health Insurance Company, www.cnas.md