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Armenia Expat Health Insurance

Armenia is a small, landlocked country located at the intersection of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. Bordered by Turkey, Georgia, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and Iran, Armenia has a population of about 3 million people, but a large diaspora of 8 million people. Although Armenia was formerly a republic of the Soviet Union, it now operates under a unitary, multiparty, democratic government. There is a separation of church and state, but the Armenian Apostolic Church is the national church of Armenia, as the Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to take on Christianity as its religion back in the 4th century.

Armenia's climate consists of general low humidity coupled with hot, dry summers, and cold winters. Armenia is divided into ten provinces with Yerevan as its capital city. The impact of the Soviet Union has left Armenia struggling to break away from a command and control economy into a market economy. Traditionally, agriculture accounted for 30% of the GDP, but in recent years Armenia has been entering the jewelry making (the mines produce copper, zinc, gold, and lead) and information technology markets.

Armenia has relatively low levels of crime, but expatriates should remain vigilant when traveling around the city, taking care to avoid any skirmishes and not withdrawing money after dark or traveling alone at night. There is a low risk of terrorism, but again, travelers should remain vigilant as attacks will most likely occur in places frequented by expatriates. Armenian drivers are reckless and often do not obey traffic laws or signage. More importantly, airlines serving Armenia do not always follow international safety standards for aircraft carriers. Expatriates are highly advised to only take international flights to Armenia. In 2009, a Caspian Airlines flight from Tehran to Yerevan crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 168 people on board. The reason for the crash has still not been determined, but a plane flying for the airline Belavia also crashed in 2008 and the reason was determined to be poor aircraft maintenance. When outside the Yerevan, women are advised to dress more conservatively. Although homosexuality has been decriminalized, it would be best for homosexual couples to not have public displays of affection so as to prevent verbal and physical harassment. There are many regions of Armenia that are unsafe. Visitors should not travel close to the border with Azerbaijan, especially the areas of Tavush and Gegharkunik, due to reports of random gunfire. Sporadic gunfire has also occurred on the road from Ijevan to Noyemberyan, and visitors should use a Western route or go through the Lori region when traveling to Georgia. The land border with Turkey is also closed. There is still fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, with regular shots of gunfire between the Azerbaijan and Armenian forces, and the British Embassy cannot provide consular assistance should expatriates decide to venture into this area.

Armenia Healthcare System

Before traveling to Armenia, visitors should make sure that all of their routine vaccinations (MMR, DPT, polio virus, etc) are updated. It is also recommended to get vaccines for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Polio, and Rabies. Tick-borne encephalitis is common, and visitors should come prepared with insect repellent and protective clothing. There are high rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis in some parts of Europe and thus maintaining good hygiene is extremely important should you come into contact with visitors from other European countries. Avian influenza virus H5N1, more commonly known as bird flu, has been reported in Eastern Europe and has killed people in Azerbaijan. Visitors should absolutely avoid all direct contact with birds and poultry farms. Travelers should also note that Armenia is located in an active seismic zone. A serious earthquake in 1988 killed between 25,000 and 50,000 people and destroyed much infrastructure as well as injuring thousands of people. The country is still recovering.

The average life expectancy at birth is 70. The adult mortality rate is 160 people per 1,000 adults while the under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births is 22 and the maternal mortality rate is 29 women per 1,000 live births. 1 in 1,000 adults have HIV, while 107 people have tuberculosis, per 100,000 people, which is about double the regional average.

The healthcare system in Armenia is severely underfunded and disorganized. In terms of public health facilities, local governments manage primary health clinics while regional governments manage hospitals. The Ministry of Health supervises state medical policies, and also communicates with international aid organizations. Hospitals are largely autonomous, as they set their own budgets and can even decide on prices for services that are not included in the state-run healthcare plan. Unfortunately, because of all the different levels of care and organizations, communication is often impaired and setting standards is difficult, leading to disorganization, mismanagement, inefficiency, and corruption. Corruption occurs even for treatments that have a set price, as when one arrives at a hospital, doctors will charge under the table and many Armenians pay for fear of not receiving good treatment if they do not fulfill the bribe. Currently, prices for treatments are set for some Armenians under a Basic Benefits Package. Citizens not covered under this plan must pay out-of-pocket for medical treatment, which is largely responsible for the funding of the public healthcare system, as only 4.7 percent of Armenia's GDP is expended on healthcare. Many citizens do not use the healthcare system at all, as they cannot afford even the most basic treatments; bribes for services are typically US$100. For many, healthcare is not even an option; a survey in 2003 found that only one in three people will visit a medical facility when sick. Private healthcare facilities are virtually nonexistent.

Armenian healthcare facilities are very sub-standard, and are not recommended to treat anything other than basic maladies. Equipment is outdated and damaged, and the facilities are understaffed with doctors and nurses. The hospitals have a history of mishaps; in 1993 half the hospitals could not function due to having no electricity or heat, and healthy babies were reportedly dying due to the cold. In 2006, UNICEF conducted a survey and found that only 42 percent of children are immunized, and that respiratory infections and diarrhea accounted for 12.4 percent and 7.3 percent of infant deaths respectively. With so many children dying because of basic ailments, it becomes apparent that most medical care available is hardly adequate. Outside of the capital city of Yerevan, as one ventures towards rural areas, hospitals are even poorer equipped and finding an adequate health facility may be incredibly difficult. For more private healthcare that is of a standard many expatriates will be used to, it is recommended to see Dr. Armen Pirouzyan at the Malatia Medical Centre or to go to the European Medical Center (both located in Yerevan). There are about 8 hospitals in Yerevan, however the number of hospitals in the whole of Armenia is undetermined.

Armenia Expat Health Insurance

When traveling to Armenia, it is advisable to have some form of health insurance, as paying for quality treatment will surely be expensive, and doctors may charge even more exorbitant rates for foreigners in lieu of bribes in Armenia. Expat health insurance can help prevent expatriates from paying these expenses out-of-pocket, and can also offer medical evacuation services should expatriates injure themselves seriously and need to go to a state-of-the-art medical facility. Also, while you may be covered by a local insurance policy in your home country, it will probably not cover hospital bills or medical evacuations in Armenia, expat health insurance can help you fill in these coverage gaps.

No matter your age or country of residency, Global Health Insurance can offer, professional insurance advice as well as free expat health insurance quotes to expatriates and foreign nationals in Armenia. Expat health insurance plans we work with can offer you a broad range of coverage options from dental and maternity to medical evacuation and outpatient care. Please contact us today for a free consultation on international health insurance.

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