Health care financing in the Russian Federation

The problem of financing health care, which is otherwise typical for many countries in the world, has been combined with other problems that accompany the social transformation process in former socialist countries. Within the fifteen years, the Russian health care system has been constantly suffering from difficulties such as insufficient financing, emphasized territorial differences in availability of health care services, aggravated supply with medicines etc. Deterioration of the health status of the population reflects in the on shortening of life. Experiences in the implementation of the health care system reform is of an exceptional significance having in mind that methods of financing have been innovated in that country by the introduction of mandatory health insurance in 1993. Currently, one can find diversity of ideas and proposals in the Russian scientific periodicals that refer to resolving of existing, serious difficulties in the health care system as well as to the future of the Russian health care system.