Albania Health Insurance Institute expenditures and support received from the Government Budget during 2000-2011

Albania Health Insurance Institute (AHII) has had various responsibilities at different times in terms of offering healthcare related services to the population. Based on these functions and responsibilites its budget has also varied. Since the contributions collected for health insurance are very low compared to its expenses, this has meant continuous financing from the government’s budget.

^{Source: Ministry of Finance
Analysis and Comments: Open Data Albania}

One of the key characteristics of the health system in  Albania has been a high level of fragmentization. There are three key actors, Ministry of Health, AHII, and the Local Government. As a result, in 2006 began the reform intended to give AHII a more important role, transforming it into the only “payer” for health services.

In 2007, AHII started to finance the primary care services and in 2009 the financing scheme included the hopsital services as well. These reforms were matched by an increase in the financing awarded from the government budget to the AHII. The budget support grew from 2.68 billion leke in 2006, to 4.64 billion leke in 2007, and 20.7 billion leke in 2011. This amounts to a budget increase of 73% in 2007 compared to 2006, whereas in 2011 the budget support was 7.7 times higher than in 2006.

^{Source: Ministry of Finance
Analysis and Comments: Open Data Albania}

The graph depicting the financing structure of AHII clearly shows the increase of budget support especially after year 2009, the year in which the insurance scheme included secondary health care.

^{Source: Ministry of Finance
Analysis and Comments: Open Data Albania}

Currently, AHII uses its funds to: reimburse for drugs included in the reimbursable list, cover the cost of primary care, hospital care, terciary examinations, administrative expenses, etc. Clearly, the role of AHII as the only public contractor is increasing, whereas the Minsitry of Health has gradually been positioning as the lawmaker and regulator.

In conclusion, for as long as contributions will continue to remain low, the changes in the financing structure will continue to depend on the government budget as the only way for AHII to fulfill its financing needs.

All the information is presented in the table below:

^{Source: Ministry of Finance
Analysis and Comments: Open Data Albania}