Answers on questions

Workers and members of their families are entitled to receive free emergency medical care (emergency and emergency forms) in the same manner and under the same conditions as citizens of the State in which they work.

This is stipulated by the provisions of the Protocol on the provision of medical assistance to workers of EAEC Member States and their family members, which is an annex to the Eurasian Economic Union Treaty.

Such emergency medical assistance shall be provided by state and municipal medical institutions of the state of employment free of charge, regardless of the availability of a medical insurance policy.

However, in case of continuation of treatment after elimination of an immediate threat to his life or health, payment of the actual cost of services rendered shall be made directly by the patient or from other sources,
not prohibited by law, at tariffs or contractual prices.

From the literal interpretation of the provisions of the above Protocol and Art. 96 of the Treaty on the EEU, it follows that the above norms are applied only to
to the workers and members of their families who are citizens carrying out labor activity on the basis of the labor contract or activity on performance of works (rendering services) on the basis of the civil-law contract.

Hence, to unemployed citizens or to the citizens who are carrying out labor activity not officially, that is without the conclusion of the labor or civil-law contract, the specified provisions of the contract
about the EAEC are not applicable.

Accordingly, in the case when a foreign citizen is not a worker of the EAEC state and these rules respectively are not applicable, we refer to the Rules of medical assistance to foreign citizens on the territory of the Russian Federation, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation № 186 of March 6, 2013; which contain similar rules that state and municipal medical organizations are free of charge to foreign citizens:

• emergency medical assistance in case of sudden acute diseases, conditions, exacerbation of chronic diseases that threaten the life of the patient;
• emergency medical aid, including specialized ambulance, in case of diseases, accidents, injuries, poisonings and other conditions that require urgent medical intervention;
• medical care in an emergency form within the framework of specialized emergency medical care.

Besides, there is an international agreement dated 27.03.1997, signed, including by the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia, with regard to the provision of medical assistance to citizens of CIS countries, according to which ambulance and emergency medical assistance is provided to citizens freely, free of charge and in full.

From the moment when the threat to the life of the patient or the health of others is eliminated and transportation is possible, further medical assistance shall be provided on a paid basis.

Despite some differences in the wording of these documents, summing up, we can say that in general, foreign citizens staying in Russia in the absence of a medical policy free emergency medical assistance is provided to the ambulance, medical care in emergency and emergency forms, with conditions and diseases that threaten the life of the patient or the health of others, with diseases, accidents, injuries, poisoning and other conditions requiring urgent medical intervention. After elimination of the threat to the life of the patient or health of others, as well as other medical assistance.
in urgent or planned form is performed on a paid basis
under a contract for the provision of paid medical services or a voluntary medical insurance policy and/or a compulsory medical insurance policy.

Thus, if foreign citizens are not provided with an ambulance, medical care in emergency and emergency forms in states requiring urgent medical intervention, they contact the hotline phone of the Ministry (Department) of Health of the subject of Russia, in particular in the Krasnodar Territory hotline phone 8 800 200-03-66.

In addition, according to the EAEC Treaty, a person staying temporarily
In Russia, a foreign citizen from the EAEC Member States who is working in the Russian Federation may issue a paper medical insurance policy with validity period up to the end of a calendar year, but not more than the validity period of the employment contract.

For this purpose, a foreign citizen applies to an insurance company with an identity document, a SNILS certificate, an employment contract, a detachable part of a notice form on arrival of a foreign citizen or a stateless person at a place of stay or a copy thereof, indicating the place and term of stay.

In addition, foreign citizens with the status of permanent or temporary residents of the Russian Federation or refugees also have the right to obtain a compulsory medical insurance policy.

Thus, a citizen who is carrying out labor activity without signing an employment contract, as well as non-working family members of an officially working citizen, at present can not count on registration of a compulsory medical insurance policy. At the same time, the issue of compulsory medical insurance for family members of working citizens of the EAEC Member States is additionally being considered at the international level (Letter of the Ministry of Health of Russia No. 11-8/3130296-707 of 30.09.2020).

Please note that under Russian law and the clarifications set out in the letter of the Ministry of Health of Russia from 30.09.2020, № 11-8/3130296-707 foreigners are required to have a health insurance policy in force in Russia, and its absence, including for citizens from the EAEC states, can be qualified as a violation of the regime of stay under Article 18.8 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation, including the imposition of punishment in the form of administrative expulsion.

In addition, as follows from the explanations of the Ministry of Labor of Russia, if a foreigner, including from the EAEC state, has not previously worked or does not have a valid Compulsory Medical Insurance policy before entering into an employment contract, he must show the employer a voluntary medical insurance policy, providing for the provision of primary medical care and specialized medical care in an emergency form, except if the employer himself has entered into a contract with a medical organization for the provision of tacos to a foreign employee.