Minister Viktor Liashko: The volume of state-funded medical services will increase in 2024

On 21 December the government approved the Procedure for Implementing the Medical Guarantee Program for 2024. Despite the war and limited resources, the scope of guaranteed medical services for Ukrainians has not been reduced. On the contrary, the Medical Guarantee Program is being expanded.

In 2024, almost UAH 159 billion will be allocated for the program, which is UAH 16 billion more than last year. This includes UAH 5.2 billion for reimbursement of medicines. In 2024, the Medical Guarantee Program will focus on restoring health and human potential.

“High-quality, accessible and free medical care for Ukrainians are the three key parameters that we are working to implement at the Ministry. They are the basis of the program of medical guarantees for 2024. I am grateful to all members of the government who supported this resolution by voting for it today. For two years now, our country has been living in a full-scale war. Every day, our healthcare system is forced to overcome new challenges and pass resilience tests. Despite all the difficulties, we are not reducing the list of state-funded medical services. Moreover, we are expanding this list,” said Minister Viktor Liashko. “Taking into account the needs of veterans, we are creating opportunities for universal access to medical care for all Ukrainians. The war, the resulting increase in the number of injuries and exacerbation of chronic diseases necessitate improving the system of payment for surgical medical care (polytrauma, burns, etc.). That is why next year we are increasing the relevant tariffs, in particular for such groups as burns and reconstructive surgery, by almost UAH 13 billion.”

The Medical Guarantee Program for 2024 will cover all major types of medical care: primary, specialized and highly specialized care, emergency, palliative care and medical rehabilitation. It will also cover medical care for children under 16 and maternity care.

In total, the Medical Guarantee Program for the next year provides for 44 service packages, including three new ones:

• Treatment of infertility with the help of assisted reproductive technologies (in vitro fertilization),
• Treatment of adults and children by organ transplantation,
• Treatment of adults and children by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

The Affordable Medicines reimbursement program will be developed within the existing areas (cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (including primary and secondary prevention of heart attacks and strokes), diabetes and diabetes mellitus, chronic lower respiratory diseases, mental and behavioral disorders, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, medicines for post-transplant patients, painkillers for palliative care patients). In 2024, it is planned to expand the list of medicines for mental and behavioral disorders that patients will be able to receive free of charge or with a partial co-payment.

Tariffs for the packages of the Medical Guarantee Program in 2024 have been improved and prioritized. In particular, the tariffs for rehabilitation services and surgical operations have been improved and will provide for a wider application of multipliers depending on the complexity of the service.

Maternal and child healthcare remains a priority. Neonatal care will be paid for at one of the highest rates in the Medical Guarantee Program. In 2024, the tariff will be revised, and the amount of payment will depend more on the complexity of the case.

Tariffs for the treatment of cancer have also been preserved. Six trials for the early detection of cancer also remain a priority.

Special attention is paid to psychological assistance. In particular, the package of psychological support at the primary level, introduced in 2022, will remain in effect, and the tariff for inpatient psychiatric care will be increased, which will also depend on the complexity of the case. Psychiatric care will also continue to be provided by mobile multidisciplinary teams, and the creation and operation of mental health centers will continue.

The sustainability of the healthcare network and the provision of medical care to our citizens in the combat zone are extremely important.

For the package “Preparedness and provision of medical care to the population located in the territory where hostilities are taking place”, the tariff is determined as a global rate per month equal to the actual cost of medical services for December under the contract that was in force until 31 December 2022 for the inpatient care packages of the relevant healthcare provider. The tariff for the readiness of a healthcare facility to provide medical care in emergencies is defined as a global rate per month, which is UAH 1,053,510.