CNAM Head: Health insurance should be seen as protection, not taxation
Health insurance should primarily be viewed as a form of financial protection for citizens, rather than merely a mandatory tax, argues Ion Dodon, the general director of the National Health Insurance Company (CNAM). He emphasizes that many of the actual costs of medical services are covered by the public system, even if patients may not always be aware of this.
"Every insured person has financial protection through the National Health Insurance Company, ensuring that they are not left to face high medical expenses alone. Both public and private medical services can be quite costly," asserted Ion Dodon on the "Pe față" show on Moldova 1.
During the program, the head of the CNAM shared that approximately 1,000 lei is paid annually per person registered with a family doctor, regardless of their use of consultations. Additionally, a few hundred lei are allocated for emergency medical assistance, specialist consultations, and other compensated services, with costs significantly increasing if a patient requires hospitalization.
"Calling an ambulance costs about 1,700-1,800 lei. On average, the cost of a hospitalization exceeds 10,000 lei. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan can cost several thousand lei per scan. Furthermore, a prosthetic operation of the locomotor system averages around 73,000 lei, highlighting the high costs of these services," explained Dodon.
He also emphasized the importance of preventative measures and regular check-ups, especially given the rising number of oncological cases in the Republic of Moldova. He stated that early disease detection reduces both the financial burden on the medical system and the risks for patients.
"We have screening programs for the early detection of cancer, which are funded by the National Health Insurance Company to identify precancerous conditions and catch cancer in its early stages (phase 1 or 2). This prevents it from advancing to more severe stages, such as grade 3 or 4, which incurs higher costs. Timely medical assistance ensures that patients can maintain a better quality of life," Dodon said.
In 2026, approximately 70 million lei was allocated for preventive and screening programs, nearly five times the amount in previous years.
