On Thursday, 9 December, the Saeima in the second and final reading adopted the amendments to the Health Care Financing Law, which were recognised as urgent, stipulating that health care services within the framework of the State compulsory health insurance will be available to residents until 2023 the same way as before — regardless of the contributions made.

According to a previous plan, as of the following year, persons who are not insured for social health insurance or who do not belong to the groups referenced in the law would receive only a minimum amount of health care services, namely emergency medical assistance, maternity assistance, health care services provided by a general practitioner, health care services related to the treatment of diseases that have a significant impact on public health or pose a threat to public health.

According to the authors of the draft law representing the Ministry of Health, these persons would have an unequal right to receive health care services in relation to other persons.

“In order to prevent the deterioration of the overall state of public health, the responsible sectors must continue their work and reach a conceptual agreement on the principles of comprehensive mandatory state health insurance,” said Andris Skride, Chair of the Social and Employment Matters Committee responsible for progress of the draft law in the Saeima.

With amendments, the deadline for the task given to the Cabinet to submit to the Saeima a draft law on the introduction of a uniform package of State-funded health care services and comprehensive mandatory State health insurance has been extended until 1 October 2022.

Saeima Press Service