OREANDA-NEWS. October 21, 2009. The Altai Krai Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (OFAS Russia) found that the Commission, that processed an application of a medical organization for providing free medical service under Compulsory Medical Insurance (OMS) and providing technology-intensive medical aid, violated Article 15 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (competition-restricting acts by the authorized bodies), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The case was initiated upon a petition of the "Interval" private medical centre.

On 2nd October 2008, representatives of the "Interval" private medical centre filed an application to the Main Health Care and Pharmaceutical Department of the Altai Krai for participating in the system of Compulsory Medical Insurance (OMS). Four months later the application was rejected on the ground that the types of services offered by the centre are also offered to the population by state and municipal health institutions. Also the Commission referred to the lack of financing for the programmes of Compulsory Medical Insurance.

Earlier "Interval" already attempted to participate in the OMS system. The Court established that a preliminary condition for entering into a contract for providing disease control and prevention (medical services) under medical insurance is that an organization must be included in the List of health care organizations operating in the OMS system. The List is an Appendix to the Regional Programme of Government Guarantees for Providing Free Medical Services to the Population in the Altai Krai. The Second Court Instance established that именно to the Main Health Care and Pharmaceutical Department of the Altai Krai is the authorized government body that compiles the List. Under the law, the decision on including to the List is to be made by the Commission comprising of representatives of the Main Health Care and Pharmaceutical Department of the Altai Krai, the Regional Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund and medical doctors - representatives of health care institutions within the region.

In January 2009, the Commission also considered the applications from "Barnaulsky" sanatorium, the branch of the hospital of the Main Department of Internal Affairs in the Altai Krai (the rehabilitation centre), the health centre of "Altai Tyre Integrated Works" CJSC and the out-patient department of the "Dobry Doctor" Consultation-and-Diagnostics Centre. The health centre of "Altai Tyre Integrated Works" CJSC was included in the List.

As explained by representatives of the Regional Health Department and the Regional Fund for Compulsory Medical Insurances to the Commission of the Altai Krai OFAS Russia, the application of заявка "Altai Tyre Integrated Works" CJSC was approved due to social reasons: it provides services to the enterprise workers, many of whom have moved from other areas of Russia, which makes it difficult for them to obtain medical service under the OMS system at the health centre located where they currently reside.

"Developing competition in the health care system is a priority for the Office, said Stepan Pospelov, the Head of the Altai Krai OFAS Russia. - For instance, this problem was discusses at the recent meeting of the Public Advisory Council, of the Altai Krai OFAS Russia in June 2009".

As a result of the discussion, this case was brought up. According to Stepan Pospelov, including private organizations on the OMS system will facilitate development of competition in health care, and consequently improve the quality of medical services provided to the population.