In order to introduce joint and several participation in health care and to prevent discrimination against the taxpayers of Latvia in terms of tax payment, the government today on 10 November approved the amendments to the Law*, which provide for the right to receive health services within the framework of the State's mandatory health insurance, regardless of the contributions made, as has been the case so far.
As announced, by amending the Health Care Financing Law, the government in May last year supported the proposal by the Minister for Health Ilze Viņķele, to eliminate the two-basket health care system and to replace it with a uniform range of health care services for all Latvian residents. The amendments that have just been approved provide that every citizen is entitled to health services in the framework of State compulsory health insurance by 2022, regardless of the contributions made.
The amendments also specify that the Cabinet of Minister has to submit a draft law to the Saeima by 30 April 2021 regarding the introduction of a uniform scope of state-paid health care services and a comprehensive state mandatory health insurance.
Given that the proposed solution to extend the range of individuals subject to compulsory health insurance concerns not only health policy but also tax issues, this option should be introduced following changes in taxation. The regulatory acts are currently being prepared to introduce changes in the field of taxation, which will affect the mandatory state social security contribution rate, the range of patent fee payers and future activity of a micro-enterprise. Thus, it will be possible to define the exact range of individuals who are subject to mandatory national health insurance and to make the changes required to the regulatory framework only after the entry into force of the current changes in taxation in 2021.
The changes approved by the government today set out the criteria for the inclusion of a healthcare service in the range of state-paid healthcare services and the criteria for concluding contracts for the provision of state-paid healthcare services.
*Draft law “Amendments to the Health Care Financing Law”
Undīne Šulca
Press Secretary
Ministry of Health
phone: 67876106; 20388356
e-mail: undine.sulca@vm.gov.lv