Decision by the Yabloko Federal Bureau adopted on 14.10.2025, published on 31.10.2025

Photo by RIA Novosti, Taras Litvinenko

At parliamentary hearings on the draft budget for 2026 and the planning period 2027–2028, Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matvienko proposed collecting fees to the Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund from non-working able-bodied citizens in the amount of 45,000 roubles per year.

This proposal was immediately supported by the authorities of Moscow and St.Petersburg, as well as a number of other regions.

The Yabloko Federal Bureau considers this proposal unacceptable and in gross violation of citizens’ right to health protection and medical care, guaranteed by Article 41 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation: “everyone has the right to health protection and medical care. Medical care in state and municipal healthcare institutions is provided to citizens free of charge at the expense of the corresponding budget, insurance contributions and other receipts.”

Valentina Matvienko virtually proposes to compulsorily force non-working able-bodies citizens to participate in the compulsory medical insurance system, and in case of refusal they will be deprived of medical care.

Russia has significant problems with healthcare and, in particular, with insurance medicine, problems with the quality and timing of medical services provided in the compulsory medical insurance system, with “pushing out” citizens who need effective and prompt medical care into the paid sector. The problem of shortage of qualified personnel in the healthcare system is becoming more acute, and the burden on it is growing as a consequence of the special military operation. But instead of solving these problems and taking serious measures to improve medical care, Valentina Matvienko essentially proceeds from the postulate “people are the second oil.”

The deficit of the Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund today is not at all critical: enough money is being collected (with the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund budget at 4.7 trillion roubles, the deficit amounts to only 82 billion roubles) and there is no economic necessity to force those who for one reason or another do not have the opportunity to work and pay into the compulsory medical insurance fund.

This concerns residents of single-industry towns where city-forming enterprises have closed. Those who cannot work because they must care for elderly parents, and young parents who cannot go to work due to shortage of places in nurseries. Some vulnerable categories of citizens will be also under threat: internally displaced persons, and the homeless.

The Yabloko Federal Bureau believes that collecting compulsory medical insurance contributions from non-working citizens means the state shifting its responsibility onto people, including those belonging to unprotected categories.

The Yabloko Federal Bureau demands that the State Duma, the Federation Council, government and President of Russia reject this proposal.

Nikolai Rybakov,

Yabloko Chairman