Government approves comprehensive reforms for healthcare system: more resources for hospitals and new opportunities for patients
During its regular meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine reviewed and adopted 14 regulatory acts concerning healthcare. This comprehensive package addresses the needs of the healthcare system, strengthens patient protections, and facilitates the adoption of modern practices. Each resolution targets specific challenges, from increasing funding for complex surgical cases and advancing transplantation to safeguarding children’s health in preschools and ensuring transparent management of medical facilities.
“The healthcare system must evolve as swiftly as the nation itself amid wartime challenges. Today, the Government adopted measures to make the system flexible, resilient, and more accessible. These include increased funding for complex medical cases, new opportunities for patients, and clearer rules for hospitals. We’re building a system that delivers timely care to wounded soldiers, preschool children, or patients with chronic conditions, laying the foundation for a modern, high-quality healthcare system that can withstand today’s challenges and support a strong post-war Ukraine,” said Minister of Health Viktor Liashko.
Key decisions include updates to the Medical Guarantees Programme, increasing funding for healthcare facilities treating complex trauma cases. Following discussions with the National Health Service and hospital representatives last week, the Government approved a resolution introducing a resource-intensity coefficient for 88 diagnostic-related groups, enabling payment for up to five surgical interventions per case, and significantly raising tariffs for resource-intensive procedures. For example, ECMO treatment costs will rise from UAH 177,000 to UAH 342,000, and invasive ventilation exceeding 336 hours will increase from UAH 140,000 to UAH 288,000. These changes also cover burn treatment (often linked to blast injuries), joint surgeries, and neurological disorders requiring invasive ventilation, ensuring hospitals are better equipped for complex cases and improving care quality for both military and civilian patients during wartime.
Additionally, the Government approved measures to provide free planned coronary stenting for patients with chronic coronary syndromes, adding 14 medical items to the state-funded procurement list, with approximately UAH 300 million allocated through the Medical Procurement of Ukraine. This will ensure standardised supplies, reduce waiting lists, emergency hospitalisations, and financial burdens on patients. This step supports the upcoming National Health Checkup programme, launching on 1 January 2026, offering free annual screenings for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and mental health for Ukrainians over 40.
The Government also regulated the “domino” transplantation process, including protocols for matching first and second recipients, medical indications, and eligible donor organs. Widely used globally for over two decades, particularly for hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv), this method allows a patient’s functional liver to be transplanted to another recipient, increasing successful operations and reducing transplant waiting lists. Updates to the Unified State Transplantation System ensure transparency and national oversight.
“In recent years, transplantation in Ukraine has progressed from rare procedures to a system saving hundreds of lives annually. In 2024, 516 organ transplants were performed: 337 kidneys, 107 livers, and 71 hearts. The first half of this year alone saw 304 transplants, all fully funded by the state under the Medical Guarantees Programme. These new measures will expand access to transplantation for those in need,” said Health Minister Viktor Liashko.
The Government established clear grounds for terminating contracts with heads of state or municipal healthcare facilities, ensuring accountability for mismanagement, legal violations, or substandard patient care. The primary goal of healthcare facilities is to deliver high-quality care while efficiently using resources, directly impacting public trust in the system.
Further reforms streamline the assessment of daily functioning, reducing bureaucracy and enhancing transparency. New rules clarify the roles of assessment team administrators, expand referral criteria, and introduce an electronic service for verifying assessment decisions, minimising paperwork and fraud risks. The process now includes evaluations for comprehensive disability assessments using the International Classification of Functioning, with data integrated into the Unified Information System of the Social Sphere.
A mandatory set of health protection measures for preschool children was approved, promoting infection prevention, healthy lifestyles, and safe educational environments. Requirements for equipping medical units and offices in preschools ensure access to first aid for every child.
The Government also ensured uninterrupted access to medicines by clarifying regulations for humanitarian aid medicines, exempting them from standard quality control while holding recipients accountable for safety. Pricing regulations were updated, allowing holders of registration certificates for contract-manufactured drugs to set and declare wholesale prices in the National Catalogue, fostering transparent pricing rules.
These resolutions and orders enhance hospital capabilities, modernise the healthcare system, and ensure high-quality, free healthcare for all Ukrainians.