Ministry of Economy refutes claims of price hikes in public hospital services

The Ministry of Economy and Finance has issued a statement refuting widespread reports suggesting that the cost of paid medical services in public healthcare institutions has increased.

As clarified, on January 27, 2025, the Ministry of Justice registered a joint resolution by the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Health titled “On the Approval of the Procedure for Financing Medical Institutions Providing Paid Services.”

Clause 8 of the resolution states: “The maximum cost of a paid medical service may not exceed the cost of a similar service provided with budgetary funds by more than 25%.”

“However, following the adoption of the resolution, various interpretations of Clause 8 emerged. In particular, questions were raised: does this mean a 25% markup or a total cost of 125%? In simple terms, will a service costing 100,000 UZS be offered at 125,000 or at 25,000?” the official statement reads.

To eliminate this confusion, a new joint resolution amending Clause 8 was registered on May 7, 2025, by the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Health.

The amendment aligned the regulation with current legal standards and clearly set the upper limit for the cost of paid medical services. Specifically, the new rule caps the maximum allowable markup at 20% over the service's actual cost.

That means if a service costs 100,000 UZS to provide, the maximum price charged to patients cannot exceed 120,000 UZS.

“Previously, healthcare institutions were allowed to apply a markup of up to 25%. That is, if the service cost 100,000 UZS, the final price could reach 125,000 UZS,” the statement notes.

The Ministry emphasized that the recent amendment has led to a decrease in the cost of paid medical services in state hospitals — by at least 5%.

“In light of the above, we urge online platforms and bloggers not to disseminate misleading interpretations of new regulatory documents and to contact official authorities for clarification when questions arise,” the Ministry of Economy and Finance stated.