On the Content of the Human Right to Affordable and Quality Medical Care in the Russian Constitution, Federal Legislation, and Constitutions (Charters) of the Subjects of the Russian Federation

Abstract

The article discusses the issues of constitutional-law and special legal regulation of the human right to health and affordable and quality medical care. It is shown how this right is stipulated by constitutions and charters of subjects of the Russian Federation in accordance with the Constitution of Russia. Whereas the Constitution providing the right to health does not prescribe that medical care should be «affordable» and «quality», the author believes that these attributes are intrinsic to medical care because it is only affordable and quality medical care that is a guarantee of realization of the right to health. Health is considered by the author as a prerequisite of using other rights and freedoms. Using the comparative-law methodology, the author analyzes constitutions and charters of constituent entities of the RF and concludes that less than a half of them have provisions concerning the right to health protection and medical care. At the same time, under Constitution protection of human rights shall be within the joint jurisdiction of the Russian Federation and constituent units. It is emphasized that the special role in protection of the human right to health on the sub-federal level belongs to regional constitutional (charter) courts, some examples from their practice are given.