[The system of mandatory medical insurance as evaluated by patients]

The population awareness about merits of mandatory medical insurance (MMI) continues to be inadequate. The study purpose was to investigate opinion of Moscow Oblast residents about MMI system. The sociological survey was carried out according standard technique using specially developed genuine questionnaire. The public opinion was studied in 2013 (584 respondents) and 2017 (709 respondents) on the basis of sampling of visitors of medical organizations. The survey established that percentage of positive responses of respondents concerning their awareness about which medical insurance company they belong slightly increased in 2017. However, every thirteenth still was unaware of it. Only every sixth respondent addresses to insurance company when occur problems related to medical care support. The right to choose insurance company, medical organization and physician was used by 17-22% of respondents in both surveys. In 2013 20% of respondents addressed nowhere due to absence of problems with health services support. In 2017, number of addresses to administrations of medical institutions increased up to 35%. The number of addresses to insurance companies and MMI foundations increased up to 13% and 27% correspondingly. The percentage of respondents with positive answers about being constrained to pay for medical services unofficially decreased up to 18% in 4 years and reached 12,6% in all sampling. Thus, activities concerning population information about changes occurring in health care system, including development of citizen rights is inadequate still. The citizens in number of cases are not interested to obtain necessary information and ignore it down to name of insurance company mentioned on their insurance policy.