Georgia, like many countries that were once part of the Soviet Union, suffered greatly after its collapse. Much began to fall into disrepair, which mostly concerns public hospitals and other medical institutions. The first time after the collapse of the USSR, hospitals lacked not only modern equipment and medicines, but also the most elementary ones. The entire infrastructure of hospitals was in such a deplorable state. Despite officially free health care in the country, most patients complained about extortion of money by medical workers, through bribes and gifts, without which they simply could not work.
Attempts to reform the healthcare system
This state of affairs could not go unnoticed not only by the people of Georgia, but also by the existing government. As a result, in September 2006, the reform of the healthcare system began in the country, the concept of the adopted law sounded like “100 new hospitals in Georgia”.
In general, it was based on the privatization of existing hospitals by private investors, who undertook to set up equipment in it, recruit medical staff and create a certain number of hospital beds within a specified period of time. Such a system was not supposed to replenish the state budget, it was a stimulator of private interest in the creation of hospitals, without any participation of state funds.
The implementation of the planned reforms was corrected by the political crisis, and subsequently by the Russian-Georgian war, and then by the global financial crisis.

That is why in 2010 the reforms took a new path, where the system is based on insurance companies involved in insurance of the poor. They are also building hospitals in the regions. Today, there are many more hospitals in the hands of the state than planned, but according to the existing and ongoing plans, the privatization of state hospitals will gain momentum in the near future. In addition, since then, more than a dozen private hospitals have been built, which allows us to say about the development of medical services, because a couple of decades ago, the private market was represented only by beauty salons and dental offices.
Health insurance of the population
About 25% of the total population of Georgia has health insurance – most of these insurances are activities state, that is, insurance occurs at the expense of the state budget. Soon, more than half of the citizens of this state will be insured under state programs, due to the fact that pensioners over 67 years old and children under 5 years old are added to the existing number of insured (socially unprotected citizens).
The number of persons with an individual insurance package in Georgia is small, the price of medical insurance in insurance companies ranges from 12 to 50 GEL.

Since 2006, when insurance began, and until 2010, the state provided insurance to socially unprotected segments of the population, each person chose an insurance company individually. In 2010, the whole of Georgia was divided into medical districts, each of which was assigned one insurance company that won the state tender. Thus, an insurance organization has already been imposed on the population and they have no choice. The transition to such a system, due to negative trends in the activities of competitive companies, but it did not give a positive effect. Unfortunately, in many areas, the lack of competition has led to a deterioration in the quality of service, lack of development in service, and many other negative factors.
The state of medicine in general
If we summarize the state of medicine in the country, we get a very gloomy picture, although it should be noted that the significant efforts being made are already having an effect in the form of decent hospitals and clinics. Today, Georgia is experiencing a great shortage of specialists, who are not so few in the country, but, for the most part, they are either young specialists with no work experience, or with significant medical experience behind them, but who have only a remote concept of working in a modern medical equipment. It is necessary, however, to add that there are not so many of them in the country. Existing and operating hospitals are sometimes deprived of the most necessary. For example, in regional centers to this day they experience interruptions in heating and water. In the capital of Georgia and other large cities, the quality of medical care is of a normal level, but, for the most part, in private clinics and hospitals, which have begun to appear in the country.

For foreigners, any, even measures to provide first aid, are paid! The cost is especially noticeable in private clinics, so Getting health insurance is highly recommended. In public hospitals, prices are much lower, but the list of services provided is worse in all respects.
Tip for travelers – if you have insurance, it is important to explain to the doctor or hospital administrator what the medical insurance you have on hand is, otherwise you should not be surprised that you will be asked for cash for the services provided.