RUSSIALINK: “Healthcare funding to exceed 4% of Russian GDP in 2020 – Putin” – Interfax

November 2, 2019 JRL Russia List Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Health, Epidemics, Substance Abuse

Medical Symbol with Pole, Serpents, Wings, adapted from image at lanl.gov

KALININGRAD. Oct 31 (Interfax) – Healthcare expenditures in Russia will continue growing and will constitute 4.1% of GDP next year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said while meeting with the public of the Kaliningrad Region on Thursday.

“We will increase our financing of healthcare. If this year, it totaled 3.7% of GDP, then next they, this will be 4.1% of GDP. In absolute terms, this is 2.7 trillion rubles this year, while next year, the consolidated healthcare budget will total 4.5 trillion rubles,” Putin said.

Healthcare spending exceeds 4% of GDP in many countries, Putin admitted, but said that “the tax burden there is also greater.”

“Our overall tax burden is 28.4%, while in Germany, for example it is over 37%, and in Belgium, France, and certain other countries, over 40%,” the Russian president said.

“Are we prepared at the moment to sharply raise our tax burden and what will this lead to? This is a very delicate sphere. We have an understanding that healthcare spending should be increased, and it will be increased,” Putin said.