Health insurance

All medical institutions in Russia are divided into public where the service is financed from the state budget and private where you need to pay out of pocket. For Russian citizens there is a system of compulsory health insurance thanks to which citizens have free access to hospitals and clinics. Foreign citizens can count on free emergency medical care when it comes to life-threatening situations: poisoning, accidents, the worsening of diseases, injuries. Emergency medical care is provided by qualified doctors, whose duty is to make the patient stable. For first aid please call unified Emergency Services number “112”.

VHI Policy

Students will have to pay for medical treatment that does not require urgent medical intervention. The hospital may ask for written guarantees on the payment of the cost of the services before doctors provide them. In order to avoid troubles all foreign citizens must have a voluntary health insurance policy (VHI). It includes outpatient treatment, home visits, transportation costs, dental care and sometimes accident insurance. With VHI students can use for free the services of polyclinics and hospitals of his city. At doctor’s appointment just show this policy and your student card. It is interesting that unlike most European countries in Russia there is no system of family doctors, so that every person can independently enroll in any medical institution. Interestingly, unlike most European countries in Russia there is no “family doctor” system, so that each person is able to make an appointment to any doctor.

How, where and how much you need to get the VHI

VHI can be purchased on arrival in Russia at any insurance company. If you are worried about fraudsters or to execute documents incorrectly, then it is recommended to contact the admission committee of the selected university. Each university has a department which works with foreign students and where are always ready to help. In addition, it can be clarified there whether the university has special requirements to the VHI. It is worth paying attention that the minimum insurance amount of the policy should be 100,000 rubles (1000 euros). It is also necessary to remember that the insurance policy should be valid for the entire period of study in Russia. This means that every year the VHI must be extended or a new one made if the insurance company. The final price of the VHI depends on the selected range of services included, the region of residence and the duration of validity. Usually, the basic package of services policy does not include dentistry, sudden illnesses, repatriation, issuing of various certificates. The price range is 4,000-12,000 rubles (40-120 euros). Please note that it is necessary to pay for the VHI even for those students who have passed the competition for financing education in Russia at the expense of state fund. To obtain a policy you need to provide the insurance company with an identity document (passport) and migration card. Somewhere may also ask for documents from the university confirming the status of the student. In general, the process of obtaining a policy should not take more than 30 minutes, insurance will come into force from the moment of its issuing.

Absence of insurance

Since 2016 the existence of medical insurance policy is an obligatory for all foreign citizens from the first day of their stay in Russia. If the foreign student does not have VHI, he will be issued an administrative fine of from 2,000 to 7,000 rubles (from 20 to 70 euros). In addition, a foreigner will have to pay for all medical services. The cost of private medicine in Russia is pretty pricy which can cause a lot of damage to the financial budget of students. Many foreigners entering the country who already have travel health insurance. However, it is not suitable for a long stay in Russia. Firstly, such insurance will not be accepted in public clinics and hospitals. Secondly, insured persons will have to pay out of pocket for the first visit and then claim compensation from their insurance company. Usually this is only possible on return to the homeland which creates additional problems for students who can go home to another country only on vacations.

Изображение от osaba на Freepik