Hussain Hazbavi 
An Iranian lawmaker has warned that the government may soon be unable to cover health care expenses due to rising costs, mounting insurance debts, and the pressures of an aging population.
Reza Jabbari, a member of parliament’s presiding board, raised the alarm on Wednesday during a meeting with Health Minister Mohammadreza Zafarghandi. He noted that 70 percent of insurance resources are currently spent on medicine and medical equipment, arguing that costs could be reduced through “strategic purchasing.”
Without reforms, Jabbari said, demographic and dietary trends could drive Iran’s health system into shortages similar to those already affecting the country’s energy sector. He cautioned that chronic and non-communicable diseases are likely to surge, warning:
“The country will no longer be able to pay health costs if the current situation continues.”
