Tengrinews.kz – Kazakhstan has enacted a new law mandating insurance for medical professionals’ liability, enabling compensation for patients impacted by medical errors, according to the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market.
Under the amendments, both medical organizations and private practitioners are now required to insure their professional liability through the Unified Insurance Pool, comprising 14 insurance providers.
“Compensation will be provided to patients who have suffered from unintentional medical errors. To claim insurance, patients or their relatives need to approach the healthcare provider. A panel of independent experts will assess whether harm occurred due to medical actions,” explained the Agency.
If patients disagree with the commission's findings, they may appeal to the Ministry of Health’s Medical and Pharmaceutical Control Committee or seek a court ruling.
The law specifies minimum payouts: for third, second, and first-degree disability, compensation is set at 500, 600, and 800 MCI respectively (1,846,000, 2,215,200, and 2,953,600 tenge in 2024). Compensation for a child with a disability is set at 500 MCI (1,846,000 tenge). Fatalities will be compensated at 3,000 MCI (11,076,000 tenge), while harm without permanent disability will be covered up to 300 MCI (1,107,600 tenge). Additionally, the law allows for up to 5% of the insurance premium to cover legal fees for insured medical workers.
