OREANDA-NEWS. April 28, 2009. During the collegium meeting of the Federal Department of Supervision of Healthcare and Social Development held in Moscow, a speech on the role of insurance companies in making medical aid more affordable to the Russians was delivered by Ms. Larisa Popovich, First Deputy CEO/COO of OJSC ROSNO-MS, reported the press-centre of ROSNO.

The collegium meeting was attended by deputies of the State Duma, representatives of the Federation Council, RF Public Chamber, RF General Prosecutor’s Office, RF Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development, Federal OMI Fund, Federal Antitrust Department, senior officials of the executive branch of power from the RF regions, as well as representatives of public associations, scientific and expert communities. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Nikolai Yurgel, head of the Federal Department of Supervision of Healthcare and Social Development.

In her report, Ms. Larisa Popovich told of the results of sociological polls and surveys conducted by the company and indicating significant growth in the volume of paid medical services in different regions of the Russian Federation. Speaking of the need to tighten control over enforcement of state guarantees for free medical aid, she analyzed the reasons leading to the replacement of free aid with paid services and identified the metrics that could be controlled by the insurers in coordination with the Federal Department of Supervision of Healthcare and Social Development, in order to enforce state guarantees to the public as regards free medical aid.

According to Ms. Larisa Popovich, such coordination between the insurers and the Federal Department of Supervision of Healthcare and Social Development could be effected under the Cooperation Agreement, which would be joined by all insurers interested in improving affordability and quality of medical services rendered to the general public.