Saakashvili Meets Insurance Companies on New Plan

President Saakashvili told insurance companies to implement a new health insurance program, co-funded by the state, without “cheating” the policy holders.

Saakashvili unveiled a new scheme of state co-financed health insurance package during his fifth annual state of the nation address on February 12. According to this new initiative, there will be GEL 5 health insurance policy; the state will cover GEL 3.35 per month and the rest will be paid by an insurance policy holder. Saakashvili said that the target of the initiative was part of the population, which was not eligible for fully state-funded health assurance program available for those living below poverty line.

Finance Minister, Kakha Baindurashvili, said on February 16, that the government planned to allocate GEL 15 million for the program. “We expect to increase the sum up to 40 million in following years,” Baindurashvili said.

At a meeting with top executives of insurance companies on February 16, Saakashvili said that the companies should “establish cooperation with the citizens and not a single insurer should even try to outmaneuver citizens.”

He said that a monitoring group would be set up and he would personally hear weekly reports on “how our new great social initiative is being implemented in favor of each citizen.”

Before meeting with insurance companies, President Saakashvili visited one of the outpatient centers in Tbilisi. He told doctors there: “I have learnt more during this half an hour while meeting you, that I would have learnt from any meeting [with officials].”

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