Health care in Iran

 Healthcare in Iran operates as a mixed system that includes both the public and private sectors, alongside a smaller non-governmental organization (NGO) and charity sector. [1, 2]

The system relies on a distinct split between how public and private entities handle medical care:

Public Sector

The public sector is overseen centrally by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME). [1, 2]

• Primary Care: The government provides basic and preventive primary healthcare nationwide, which is essentially free of charge. This is done via an extensive network of rural "health houses" (khaneh behdasht) and urban comprehensive health centers. [1, 2, 3]
• Inpatient Hospitalization: The public sector manages the majority of hospital beds and secondary/tertiary inpatient treatments, typically run through state-affiliated medical universities. [1, 2]
• Insurance: Over 90% of the population is covered by public health insurance plans, primarily managed by the Social Security Organization (SSO) and the Iran Health Insurance Organization (IHIO). [1]

Private Sector

The private sector plays a significant role in providing medical services, primarily focusing on specialized care. [1]

• Outpatient Care: The private sector is highly dominant in this area, managing roughly 80% of all outpatient services—including individual doctors' private practices, specialized diagnostic labs, and local pharmacies. [1, 2]
• Urban Focus: Private clinics and luxury hospitals are clustered in major urban centers. They generally offer slightly faster or higher-quality administrative care but charge much higher fees out-of-pocket, catering primarily to middle- and upper-class residents. [1, 2, 3]
• Supplemental Insurance: Around 20% of Iranians purchase additional commercial, private health insurance to help pay for dental care, optical services, or copayments that public insurance plans do not fully cover. [1]