SPECIAL ASPECTS OF PRIVATE MEDICAL CENTER STATUS IN RUSSIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

This article outlines the legal status and activities of private medical centers in Russia. It pursues two main objectives: 1) identifying features which make private medical centers stand apart, and 2) proving that such features are reasonable and necessary. The issue is made more acute by the growing number of private medical centers, failings of special regulation in this area and the general state of the medical services market. The conclusion reached is that, while public and private medical centers both operate as part of the same system, some special regulations for private centers are required where licensing, participation in compulsory medical insurance programs and medical services contracts are concerned. A special law which regulates how private medical centers operate should be considered.