Armenia to expand universal health insurance coverage from January 2027

Starting January 1, 2027, Armenia will expand its universal health insurance system to cover additional groups of citizens.

Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan, speaking at the Cabinet meeting, recalled that the reform was launched in Armenia on January 1, 2026.

The next phase stipulated by law will begin on January 1, 2027.

The draft amendments adopted at the meeting define the groups that will be included in the system starting January 1, 2027.

“Armenian citizens earning monthly salaries of up to 200,000 drams will also be covered by the universal health insurance system starting January 1, 2027. Their insurance premium burden will be distributed as follows: of the monthly premium of 10,800 drams, the state will subsidize 4,400 drams, the employer will pay 4,400 drams, and the employee will pay 2,000 drams. Before January 1, 2026, we all paid a stamp duty that was higher than 1,000 drams. Starting January 1, 2026, that payment was reduced to 1,000 drams for all employees earning up to 1 million drams,” the minister said.

She said that starting January 1, 2027, the state would subsidize 6,000 drams for citizens earning more than 200,000 drams but no more than 500,000 drams per month, as it did in 2026, while the employee would pay the remaining 4,400 drams.

“Our intention was for employers to also contribute to ensuring the living standards and work capacity of employees earning less than 200,000 drams. However, if a person's salary exceeds that threshold, the burden of paying the insurance premium falls on the employee, although the subsidy remains in place. As we promised, in the first year, 2026, we are subsidizing 6,000 drams for employees earning between 200,000 and 500,000 drams. Starting next year, however, they will pay that 6,000 drams through the social credit mechanism. In other words, they will no longer receive that subsidy,” Avanesyan said.

The minister added that, according to the government's estimates, 350,000 people in Armenia earn monthly salaries of up to 200,000 drams.

In response to numerous requests from citizens, starting January 1, 2027, employed individuals will be allowed to voluntarily include their dependents in the insurance system. Those earning between 200,000 and 500,000 drams per month will be able to include one family member by paying that person's insurance premium, while those earning more than 500,000 drams will be able to include two family members.

Avanesyan stressed that drivers providing taxi services through electronic platforms had also been included in the insurance system during the year. They will be able to join the system starting January 1.

“We have already established the payment mechanisms under this draft. Given that taxi drivers do not always work regularly, we have set a threshold. The system will cover drivers who have a two-year registration history on electronic platforms and whose total turnover in 2026, calculated on a monthly basis, exceeded the minimum wage. This measure was also intended to ensure stability and give taxi drivers the opportunity to benefit from the system,” the minister emphasized.