Compulsory Health Insurance Funding Rises in Transbaikal Krai

A civic forum titled «Society and Authority: Dialogue, Creation, Trust» was held in Chita. One of the key sections was «Healthcare of Zabaykalye: Personnel and Health for the Future,» where participants discussed the current state of the industry, personnel challenges, and financial mechanisms that allow the region«s healthcare system to develop and adapt to new conditions.

The section was attended by Minister of Health of Transbaikal Krai Oksana Nemakina, deputies of the Legislative Assembly of Zabaykalye, representatives of the medical community, scientists, and medical students.

During the discussion of reports, Sergey Chaban, director of the Territorial Compulsory Health Insurance Fund of Transbaikal Krai, spoke. He noted that the volume of funding for the CHI system in the region is consistently growing:

— In 2024, the amount was 25.7 billion rubles (approximately $260 million at current rates); by the end of last year, funding reached about 30 billion rubles (approximately $300 million at current rates), and for this year, almost 32 billion rubles (approximately $320 million at current rates) are allocated.

According to Sergey Chaban, funding for the CHI system is also aimed at addressing personnel issues, including supporting medical organizations when hiring new doctors and mid-level medical staff.

— If a doctor joins a medical organization«s team beyond the number of employees as of January 1 of the current year, their salary is paid not from the organization»s own payroll fund, but from the resources of the Territorial Fund, — he explained.

This mechanism helps reduce tension within teams. In situations where the workload is redistributed and other employees« salaries are reduced, conflict often arises. Additional funding mitigates these risks and makes the process of attracting specialists more comfortable for all parties.

The financial results of this measure are already tangible. In 2024, the Territorial Fund allocated 107 million rubles (approximately $1.1 million at current rates) for additional salary payments to medical workers. In 2025, this amount was 85 million rubles (approximately $850,000 at current rates). Thanks to this support, an additional 58 doctors and over 76 mid-level medical specialists joined the region«s medical organizations.

Special attention, according to Sergey Chaban, is paid to mentorship — this is one of the effective ways to attract, train, and retain young specialists in the healthcare system. Funding through the CHI allows money to be directed also to payments for experienced doctors who take on the role of mentors.

Also, the director of the Territorial CHI Fund drew attention to the problem of involving clinical residents in practical work, emphasizing that the issue of actively attracting residents to work in medical organizations is a common task for the healthcare system of the entire Transbaikal Krai.