Does it cost money to see a doctor in Russia?

Medical care in Russia is basically free, and there are also paid medical care. The current "free" medical system in Russia can be traced back to the Soviet era. Before 1970, the free medical insurance service had covered the whole Soviet area. Among them, free services include first aid, outpatient service and hospitalization. Moreover, the range of treatment also covers from mild colds to severe cancers, but such things as cosmetic surgery, going to the dentist, detoxification and taking medicine are not included in the scope of free medical services.

So in the Soviet Union at that time, people didn't have to worry about being thrown out of the hospital because they couldn't afford medical expenses. This has also become a welfare system that the Soviet Union is proud of. Unfortunately, the level of free medical care is very low, and there are long queues. Free medical care has attracted more low-income groups in Russian society. "Rich people in Russia and even foreigners now mainly choose private hospitals for medical treatment. The current trend is that more and more rich people in Russia prefer to go abroad for medical treatment and basically give up free medical care. "