ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF COMPULSORY HEALTH INSURANCE IN AZERBAIJAN

The aim of this article is to assess the economic impact of the compulsory health insurance (CHI) system in Azerbaijan, introduced to improve access to health care, ensure financial sustainability and improve the quality of health services. It is noted that compulsory health insurance is one of the important reforms in Azerbaijan for financing the health care system and expanding citizens' access to health services. It is emphasized that this system improves the quality of health services and creates economic benefits for the state and citizens. The study widely uses the method of analyzing the reforms being carried out, analysis of statistical indicators before and after reforms, comparative analysis of the costs of health services. For the first time in domestic economic science, it is studied how the Ministry of Health promotes health care financing by fairly pooling the resources of employers, employees and the government, cost and benefit indicators are analyzed, which emphasizes the improvement of services provided, reduction in patient costs and improvement of financial protection of low-income groups. It is noted that despite the positive results of the ongoing reform, challenges still remain, in particular in addressing administrative inefficiencies, uneven regional development of healthcare and the integration of private providers into the system. It is also shown that the relationship between the implementation of insurance and economic productivity, suggesting that a healthier workforce can positively impact the national economy due to improved productivity, sometimes leads to errors. The study concludes with recommendations for optimizing the insurance model by raising public awareness, expanding the digital infrastructure and conducting regular satisfaction surveys of patients and healthcare providers. It is noted that compulsory insurance in the health insurance system is an essential component of state social insurance. It is emphasized that the introduction of the compulsory health insurance system in Azerbaijan improves the healthcare financing mechanism and increases citizens' access to medical services. It is shown that this system is of great importance in terms of optimizing public spending on healthcare, increasing economic activity and increasing general welfare. Since sustainable development of compulsory health insurance will further strengthen the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of healthcare.