ArmInfo. The Universal Health Insurance (UHI) Fund of Armenia, in close cooperation with the European Union (EU), as well as the Ministries of Health of Croatia and Slovenia, will officially launch the EU Twinning program - Supporting the Implementation of Universal Health Insurance Reform in Armenia.
This two-year initiative, funded by the EU, marks an important milestone in ongoing efforts to implement comprehensive universal health insurance reform in Armenia. The program aims to strengthen institutional capacity, optimize healthcare financing mechanisms, and promote the development of sustainable systemic mechanisms to ensure high-quality and accessible healthcare services for all citizens of Armenia.
The program will promote institutional cooperation, as well as the exchange of knowledge and best practices in support of the reform of the universal health insurance system (UHI) in Armenia.
According to the source, cooperation will focus on strengthening the legal and institutional framework, ensuring the effective functioning of the system, increasing financial sustainability, and improving healthcare system governance.
As a reminder, on December 4, 2025, the country's parliament adopted the draft law on the implementation of universal health insurance (UHI) in the first reading. The document, which will have its second reading on December 16, envisages a phased implementation of the system over a three-year period. The first stage will begin in January 2026, when the health insurance system will cover children under 18, individuals aged 65 and older (even if employed), disabled individuals aged 18 to 65, and members of socially vulnerable families. For these individuals, the state will cover 100% of the costs. Starting next year, citizens with a monthly income of over 200,000 drams will also be eligible for health insurance; they will pay for it themselves.
Rates and subsidies for universal health insurance in Armenia will be determined annually. The base cost of an insurance policy in 2026 will be 129,600 drams (10,800 drams per month). Part of this amount will be reimbursed from payments to the Zinap Military Insurance Fund. These payments, increased in 2021, are now returning to their previous level of 1,000 drams, regardless of salary.
In particular, individuals with salaries between 200,000 and 500,000 drams will be able to reduce their monthly Zinapa contribution from 5,500 to 1,000 drams. The saved 4,500 drams can be used to pay for health insurance. Additionally, when filing their income tax return in 2026, they will be able to claim back an additional 6,000 drams monthly (as a tax deduction). For citizens with salaries between 500,000 and 1 million drams, their Zinapa contribution will be reduced. The minimum wage will also be reduced to 1,000 drams (from 7,500), allowing 6,500 drams to be redirected toward insurance (in 2027, they will be able to receive a refund of 4,000 drams monthly).
Individuals earning over 1 million drams will be able to file an income tax return in 2027 and receive a refund of 4,000 drams per month. The insurance payment will be made by a tax agent, meaning it will be withheld from wages in the same way as income tax, social security contributions, etc.
A state fund was created to manage the health insurance system.
