YEREVAN, August 28. /ARKA/. A slight increase in medical service prices associated with the introduction of the universal health insurance system has contributed to the acceleration of inflation in Armenia in the first half of 2026. This is stated in the report of the Central Bank of Armenia on the implementation of the monetary policy program for the period from the third quarter of 2025 to the second quarter of 2026.
According to the Central Bank, annual inflation in Armenia reached 5.1% in June, compared to 3.9% a year earlier. Core inflation for the same period increased from 3.1% to 4.9%.
The regulator identifies the rise in medical service prices as one of the factors accelerating inflation, alongside external price pressures, rising local food prices, and significant increases in energy prices amid the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
According to the report, prices for outpatient services increased by 6% in June 2026 compared to June of the previous year, contributing 0.2 percentage points to annual inflation.
About the Mandatory Health Insurance System in Armenia
The mandatory health insurance system is being implemented in Armenia starting from January 1, 2026, over a three-year period from 2026 to 2028. From 2026, two groups are included in the system. The first group consists of citizens with salaries ranging from 200,000 to 500,000 drams, while the second group includes minors under 18, individuals aged 18-65 with disabilities (groups I, II, and III), citizens aged 65 and older, and socially vulnerable families with 28 or more points.
In the second phase, starting in 2027, individuals with salaries below 200,000 drams will join the system, and by 2028, all remaining groups, including those employed in agriculture and their family members, will be included.
The estimated cost of the health insurance package is 129,600 drams per year, with the option for monthly payments. The insurance package includes the most requested medical services, including outpatient care, visits to family doctors, consultations with specialists, and laboratory tests (within the established annual volume). The list of services will be gradually expanded and refined, including certain surgical interventions, particularly ophthalmological (cataract), cardiovascular, and others.
For the implementation of the mandatory health insurance system, the Armenian government has allocated 127 billion drams in the state budget for 2026.
