Lawmaker criticizes obstacles in Azerbaijan's mandatory health insurance system

Azerbaijani Member of Parliament Zahid Oruj has stated that referrals to private hospitals under the mandatory health insurance system have dropped sharply, creating formidable hurdles for citizens seeking medical care.

Speaking during a parliamentary session, Oruj said patients must now exhaust all options at state clinics and receive a formal rejection before becoming eligible for referrals to private facilities. He stressed that this procedural bottleneck poses severe risks for patients requiring urgent treatments or surgeries, leading to a renewed rise in citizen appeals directed at lawmakers.

Oruj also pointed out that rapid administrative and personnel turnover within the insurance agency has impaired operational coordination and service delivery, calling for transparent communication from relevant authorities.

Gulnar Nazimgizi