In 2026, the “Healthy Heart” initiative was identified as one of the priorities of the Medical Guarantees Program, in accordance with the government’s strategic decisions. The goal is to strengthen care for people with cardiovascular diseases—from prevention and diagnosis to the treatment of acute conditions, complex surgeries, and subsequent recovery.
An important part of this patient pathway is cardiac surgery—medical care that includes operations on the heart and major blood vessels.
Special attention within the “Healthy Heart” initiative is given to pediatric cardiac surgery. This involves treating children with congenital heart defects and other complex cardiac conditions that require highly specialized surgeries. A key innovation of the 2026 Medical Guarantees Program is the introduction of higher reimbursement rates for pediatric cardiac surgery—in 2025, no additional pediatric adjustment factor was applied for such procedures.
The Medical Guarantees Program-2026 allocates 5.187 billion UAH for cardiac surgery care—this is over 2.12 billion UAH more than in 2025. The increased investment is aimed at ensuring that both adult and pediatric patients can receive the necessary care in a timely and safe manner, without financial barriers for families.
In 2026, the approach to covering treatment costs has changed. From now on, the state is directing more support to medical facilities with the most experience in performing complex surgeries. Increased funding is allocated to hospitals that regularly perform a significant number of cardiac procedures, as well as heart attack surgeries.
This allows for the concentration of complex surgeries.
For example:
Heart valve surgery using a heart-lung machine
• Adults: in 2025 — 115,354 UAH, in 2026 — from 236,820 to 294,481 UAH
• Children: in 2025 — 124,967 UAH, in 2026 — from 256,555 to 319,021 UAH
Other cardiothoracic surgeries using a heart-lung machine
• Adults: in 2025 — 62,284 UAH, in 2026 — from 163,467 to 294,198 UAH
• Children: in 2025 — 67,474 UAH, in 2026 — from 177,089 to 318,715 UAH.
Reconstruction of large blood vessels
• Adults: in 2025 — 37,452 UAH, in 2026 — from 101,214 to 253,130 UAH
• Children: in 2025 — 40,573 UAH, in 2026 — from 109,649 to 274,224 UAH.
Interventional procedures for acute myocardial infarction
• Adults: in 2025 — 22,369 UAH, in 2026 — from 45,398 to 74,003 UAH
• Children: in 2025 — 24,233 UAH, in 2026 — from 49,181 to 80,171 UAH.
Another key change in cardiac surgery in 2026 is the expansion of patient access to elective stenting. Whereas previously patients were provided with stent systems only in urgent cases, since the beginning of the year they have been available free of charge for elective procedures as well. Thus, the cost of interventional coronary procedures (stenting) performed on patients not experiencing an acute myocardial infarction is 35,578 UAH for low-complexity procedures and 58,446 UAH for high-complexity procedures. For children, the fee is 59,934 UAH, taking into account the corresponding adjustment factor.
For comparison: in 2025, the fee for such procedures was 18,387 UAH. Overall, the fee for surgical stenting services in 2026 increased by approximately 3.2 times compared to 2025.
One of the highest rates in cardiac surgery is set for procedures involving the implantation of a mechanical cardiac support device—745,096 UAH. This is a new category introduced in 2026.
Additionally, the 2026 PMG introduced a rate for certain cardiac surgical procedures that accounts for a traumatic additional coefficient. Specifically, for the reconstruction of large vessels without the use of a heart-lung machine, the rate is 90,227 UAH, and for other general procedures on the circulatory system in cases of trauma—60,002 UAH.
In addition to the cost of open surgical procedures, the patient’s stay in the intensive care unit is billed separately.
These changes make it possible to more accurately determine the resources required for treatment and ensure appropriate reimbursement for the most complex procedures. For patients, this means that complex procedures are concentrated in medical facilities where doctors have extensive experience and the necessary equipment, which significantly improves the effectiveness and safety of treatment.
Cardiac surgeries for adults and children under the Medical Guarantees Program are performed by 79 medical facilities that have contracts with the National Health Service of Ukraine (NSZU) for the packages “Surgical procedures for adults and children in inpatient settings” and “Surgical procedures for adults and children in one-day inpatient settings.”
It is important to note that expensive medical devices—stents, pacemakers, artificial heart valves, and oxygenators—are centrally procured using state budget funds and supplied to hospitals. They are also completely free of charge for patients.
At the same time, as funding for cardiac surgery increases, oversight of the provision of free treatment is being strengthened. In accordance with a government directive, in 2026 the National Health Service of Ukraine (NSZU) will conduct separate monitoring of hospitals specifically regarding cardiac surgical procedures. The goal is to ensure that facilities comply with the terms of their contracts with the NSZU and that patients receive the necessary surgeries and medical devices at no cost.
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