He'll have to suffer: a St. Petersburg deputy has refused the voluntary health insurance policy he himself voted for. But he's still entitled to the benefit.

Member of the Legislative Assembly St. Petersburg Alexey Zinchuk, elected from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, wrote He refused his voluntary health insurance policy and stated that he was being treated at a regular local clinic.

Notably, three weeks ago, Zinchuk supported a law allowing government officials, members of parliament, and their families to obtain voluntary health insurance policies funded by the state budget. This insurance covers free dental treatment, neurosurgery, MRIs, therapeutic massage, specialist consultations, as well as mud therapy and pearl baths.

How to He explained Zinchuk told the publication "Rotonda" that he did not understand what exactly he was voting for. 

The amendment regarding voluntary health insurance actually appeared in the bill at the very last moment and accepted almost behind the scenes: initially it was proposed to approve only the procedure for civil servants to go on vacation, but then a United Russia deputy Denis Chetyrbok proposed adding health insurance, and it was voted for unexpectedly quickly.

Deputy Chetyrbok, who chairs the Legislative Assembly's Budget and Finance Committee, told Rotonda that canceling the voluntary health insurance policy would have no impact: the funds allocated for it would not be returned to the budget. Zinchuk, however, could always revoke his cancellation.

So we'll have to trade the sterile district clinic for baths with greasy mud.