Amid rising prices and the deepening cost-of-living crisis in Iran, Eghtesad News website reported that installment payments are becoming increasingly common in the country’s healthcare market, with services such as dental care and even medications now being offered through installment plans. The trend reflects the further deterioration of households’ financial capacity.
On Monday, July 27, Eghtesad News reported that some patients, due to financial hardship, negotiate with doctors for discounts on consultation fees and, in some cases, receive treatment through installment payments.
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According to the report, dental services are currently the “most prominent showcase” of installment-based healthcare, with many clinics and platforms offering services such as implants, orthodontics, root canal treatment, and dental veneers through installment payments, loans, or multi-month repayment plans.
The outlet added: “A toothache does not wait until next month’s paycheck. Someone with an infected tooth or in need of a root canal cannot always postpone treatment. Therefore, installment payments are both an opportunity and a warning; an opportunity because they make treatment possible, and a warning because an essential living expense has been shifted into debt for future months.”
In recent months, accelerating inflation and sharp increases in the prices of essential goods have placed significant economic pressure on households and created serious challenges for the livelihoods of a large segment of society.
According to the latest report from the Statistical Center of Iran, point-to-point inflation in rural areas surpassed 100%, reaching 108.1%.
Buying medications through installment plans
Eghtesad News further reported that installment payments are no longer limited to dental services, as some online pharmacies and credit service providers now offer installment plans for medications, dietary supplements, and health-related products.
The report stated: “When even medication is sold on installment, it means the pressure of rising costs has extended beyond consumer goods to the most essential aspects of life.”
According to the report, healthcare apps and websites also use discount codes and promotional offers for online consultations with physicians, psychologists, and psychiatrists.
Eghtesad News added that the question now is whether this trend has improved access to healthcare or instead pushed patients toward choosing the cheapest option rather than receiving complete treatment.
Economic pressure and incomplete treatments
Eghtesad News continued: “Some doctors say they see patients who attend the initial consultation but postpone laboratory tests, imaging, medication, or follow-up appointments. In ongoing treatments, such delays are more dangerous; patients abandon physiotherapy halfway through, stop therapy after two sessions, or take only half of their prescribed medication so it lasts longer.”
According to the report, economic pressures are even more evident in psychotherapy, with some patients requesting delayed payment for sessions or reducing the number of appointments.
The report stated: “Psychotherapy is supposed to be a place to talk about anxiety, burnout, and the pressures of life, but sometimes the cost of the session itself becomes one of those anxieties.”
Eghtesad News concluded by warning that the growing prevalence of installment-based healthcare reflects weaknesses in the financing of Iran’s healthcare system and the high share of out-of-pocket spending by patients for treatment, medications, and other medical services.
