Georgia has introduced amendments to its Universal Healthcare Program, with the changes formally published in the Legislative Herald. The new rules will take effect on June 1, 2026 and primarily affect beneficiaries who spend extended periods outside the country.
Under the revised framework, the program’s implementing body will be required to suspend, on a monthly basis, the registration of individuals who have continuously remained abroad for six months or longer. The suspension will apply specifically to access to planned outpatient services within the Universal Healthcare Program.
The resolution also clarifies the procedure for restoring beneficiary status. Re-registration will be conducted in line with Article 23, Paragraph 4 of the Universal Healthcare Program, as approved by Government Resolution No. 36 of February 21, 2013. In practice, this obliges participating medical institutions to register beneficiaries only with the explicit consent of the individual concerned. Such consent must be confirmed by the beneficiary’s signature or, in the case of minors, by their legal representative.
In addition, the government has stipulated that further criteria for verifying beneficiary registration status must be defined through a ministerial order. These additional verification rules are also expected to be approved by June 1, 2026.
