The State System
For the state healthcare fund employees and employers pay around 2 to 3 percent of wages to a social tax and then a small percentage of that money goes into the healthcare fund. Dependant family members are covered by the contributions paid by employed family members. The unemployed, old age pensioners and people on long-term sickness benefit are also entitled to free health, with the state covering their contribution. Vulnerable groups are not exempt from fees payable directly to doctors, which again makes healthcare virtually impossible, for them. The self employed must pay their own contributions in full. Foreigners immigrating to Russia without jobs must produce proof of private health insurance in order to obtain their residence permit.

Private Healthcare
The state fund covers a basic healthcare package; however citizens who can afford private insurance can ensure that they receive the best medical care available. Private medical services include treatment by specialists, hospitalisation, prescriptions, pregnancy and childbirth and rehabilitation.

Few can afford this option and those in dire need of good medical care may be forced to take out private insurance; for example a retired pensioner, is entitled to free health care in at least one institution. If the treatment given in that institution is not satisfactory, he must decide whether to spend five years of pension allowance on a single year of healthcare.

Fees
Russian citizens are all untitled to free healthcare from the state but most doctors will ask for extra payment or take a bribe for their services because medical professionals are often very poorly paid.