Copenhagen, Denmark – The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the WHO Regional Office for Europe published books on Voluntary Health Insurance (VHI) in Europe: 1) Profiles of VHI in 34 countries in the WHO European Region – 27 out of 28 Member States of the European Union (EU), Armenia, Georgia, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Switzerland and Ukraine; 2) An analytical overview of markets for VHI across the 34 countries (a companion book); and 3) A review of VHI’s impact on health system performance and implications for policy (a policy summary). The books present a comprehensive overview of VHI in countries across the WHO European Region with the aim “to provide analysis and evidence for policymakers interested in knowing whether and how VHI can contribute to stronger health system performance through improvements in financial protection, responsiveness, equity, efficiency, quality, transparency and accountability.”
The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies invited Dr. Varduhi Petrosyan, the Dean of the AUA School of Public Health, to contribute to the study on VHI in Europe as an internationally recognized expert on health systems research. Drs. Varduhi Petrosyan and Hripsime Martirosyan (AUA MPH 2005) authored the chapter on Armenia, which covers “the health system context – a summary of the health financing mix, entitlement to publicly financed health care and gaps in coverage; an overview of the VHI market; public policy towards VHI; and debates and challenges” and describes how the VHI market developed, how it currently operates, and how it influences the health system performance. Drs. Petrosyan and Martirosyan are the country experts for the companion book and contributed collecting and providing country-specific data and reviewing earlier drafts of the book.
References to the books:
- Petrosyan V and Martirosyan H. Armenia in Sagan A & Thomson S (eds) (2016).Voluntary health insurance in Europe: Country Experience, Observatory Studies Series No. 42. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe on behalf of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (Available at:http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/310799/Voluntary-health-insurance-Europe-country-experience.pdf?ua=1)
- Sagan A and Thomson S (2016). Voluntary health insurance in Europe: Role and regulation, Observatory Studies Series No. 43. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe on behalf of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (Available at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/310838/Voluntary-health-insurance-Europe-role-regulation.pdf?ua=1)
The AUA School of Public Health works actively to improve population health and health services in Armenia and the region through interdisciplinary education and development of public health professionals to be leaders in public health, health services research and evaluation, and health care delivery and management.