Government approves health bonus rules

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian government has approved the procedure for calculating bonus points under the universal health insurance programme, allowing citizens to receive discounts and benefits from 2029 if they maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The plan envisages awarding bonus points for quitting smoking, becoming a blood donor and bringing body mass index (BMI) within the healthy range. During the discussion, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan questioned the effectiveness of laboratory testing and suggested linking incentives instead to digital traceability and cashless transactions, Factor.am reported.

In this context, Pashinyan said that in the 21st century people's personal data are already being collected by various global platforms and argued that the state should be able to use such data to help protect citizens' health and safety.

"I'm saying this officially: dear citizens, all of your personal data are already stored somewhere. In the 21st century, you have no secrets. Those secrets exist only on the basis of trust. We need a policy that guarantees personal data will not be used against citizens; otherwise, we won't be able to achieve anything. It is better to have digital oversight than to hire thousands of additional inspectors and investigators.

Let's have a broad discussion about the safeguards so citizens are convinced that, apart from global data holders, no local authority can misuse this information. If you wear a device connected to the ambulance service, your insurance risk is lower, so the cost should also be lower. This is a matter of the state's and the people's security. Anyone who wishes can participate voluntarily. Motivation is very important," he said.