At a Government session, Minister of Healthcare Akmaral Alnazarova reported on the current state and ongoing modernization of the Compulsory Social Health Insurance (CSHI) system.
The Minister noted that the introduction of the insurance model has become a driver of increased healthcare spending. Since the launch of the CSHI, the average annual growth rate of healthcare funding has more than doubled, reaching 23.8%, which has stimulated the inflow of private investment. Following the instruction of the Head of State, the packages of the Guaranteed Volume of Free Medical Care (GVFMC) and CSHI have been restructured. By 2027, according to the Minister, CSHI funds will become the main source of financing in the sector.
According to the head of the Ministry, the growth in funding has directly affected the accessibility of medical services and the working conditions of healthcare professionals. Over the past seven years, expenditures per capita have increased 2.6 times (from 98 thousand to 258 thousand tenge), and the average salary of doctors has grown 2.8 times (from 159 thousand to 442 thousand tenge). The number of medical services provided has increased 2.7 times.
The Minister elaborated on measures to expand access to medical services in 2024–2025. Programs for monitoring patients with chronic diseases have been improved, consultation times and nurses’ competencies have been increased. Screenings have become more accessible for elderly citizens, covering an additional 300 thousand people. In addition, cancer screenings have been included in the GVFMC package, providing access to more than 300 thousand uninsured citizens. Starting in 2026, this category will also be covered by screenings for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other conditions.
Akmaral Alnazarova reported that the insurance model has stimulated competition, increasing the share of private medical service providers to 63%. At the same time, requirements for medical organizations have been raised, and control over service quality has been strengthened.
She also informed about the transformation of tariff policy to ensure fair remuneration for medical organizations. The 23 billion tenge tariff increase in 2024 improved the performance of children’s hospitals and maternity facilities, contributing to a historic reduction in maternal and infant mortality. As a result of the reforms, the share of CSHI in total healthcare expenditures is expected to reach 63% by 2027.
She emphasized the importance of maintaining the principle of shared responsibility and announced new measures to expand insurance coverage. In particular, a mechanism has been introduced for local executive bodies to pay insurance contributions for low-income citizens, which will allow the CSHI system to cover an additional one million people by 2026.
Special attention in the report was given to digital transformation. Integration of information systems has reduced the workload on medical staff by up to 40%. A Unified Healthcare Payment System has been launched, and digital patient identification has saved 6.7 billion tenge in just eight months. In December, the launch of a Unified Medical Data Repository is planned, which will allow citizens to have full access to their electronic health passports by 2026. Artificial intelligence technologies are already being used in clinics to detect strokes and oncological diseases, which, according to the Minister, do not replace doctors but enhance their capabilities.
Akmaral Alnazarova noted that systemic reforms and increased funding through CSHI have led to significant improvements in health indicators. Life expectancy has reached 75.4 years, and maternal and infant mortality rates have decreased substantially. She assured that systematic work to improve the efficiency and quality of medical care will continue.
