Public Radio of Armenia states: Starting January 1, 2026, citizens of the Republic of Armenia will be included in a universal health insurance system. The National Assembly adopted the Law on Universal Health Insurance in the second reading and in full with 64 votes in favor, 2 against, and 5 abstentions.
Under the first phase of the system, state budget funds will fully insure:
About 700,000 persons under 18 years old,
About 400,000 citizens aged 65 and older,
Persons aged 18–65 with disabilities and socially vulnerable citizens.
From January 1, 2026, citizens earning a monthly salary above 200,000 drams will also be included in the mandatory health insurance system. Their monthly insurance contribution will be 10,800 drams, most of which will be covered by the state through the “Zinapah” Fund (a fund for servicemen).
Here’s how contributions break down for different salary groups in 2026:
Earners of 201,000–500,000 drams:
Monthly contribution: 10,800 drams
6,000 drams paid by the state budget
4,500 drams transferred from the “Zinapah” Fund
300 drams deducted from the employee’s salary.
Earners of 500,000–1,000,000 drams:
7,500 drams from “Zinapah” Fund
3,300 drams deducted from the employee’s salary.
The Health Minister, Anahit Avanesyan, explained that there will inevitably be gaps and imperfections in the system as it begins implementation, but these should not delay the law’s adoption. The law itself anticipates that monitoring results will be summarized in the first six months and, if necessary, legislative changes will be made.
In the first phase (2026), the state budget will fully fund insurance for:
Citizens under 18 (~700,000),
Citizens over 65 (~400,000),
Persons with disabilities, and
Socially vulnerable individuals.
During debates on the bill, members of the “Hayastan” parliamentary faction proposed lowering the age for the first phase from 65 to 63, but Avanesyan said this wasn’t feasible given the 2026 budget.
Some representatives of the opposition raised concerns that mandatory insurance under this law would also apply to people who already have private health insurance, potentially weakening the private insurance market.
The law states that the insurance package will include services for the prevention, treatment, and continuous monitoring of diseases that are the main causes of morbidity, mortality, or disability in Armenia. The list of covered services will be determined and approved by the government.
Minister Avanesyan assured MPs that insurance package details will be available to citizens through the ARMED mobile application.
Supporters of the law highlighted that an essential benefit of the health insurance system will be annual screening programs to detect diseases early and promote preventive health practices.
During discussions, concerns were also raised about whether the healthcare system’s current infrastructure is ready. Avanesyan responded that upgrading regional medical facilities is a government priority, and patients will have the freedom to choose their health center regardless of residence.
The Ministry plans to regularly publish monitoring data over the coming months and, if necessary, develop new legislative measures.