Today, on 12 February, Cabinet of Ministers approved the draft law prepared by the Health Ministry, which makes amendments to the Healthcare Financing Law. The new framework will ensure UK citizens' access to publicly funded health care after the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU), or the Brexit.
The law is being amended to ensure the best possible conditions for British citizens, who either due to their employment or self-employment have resided in Latvia until 29 March 2019. It provides continued access to government-funded health care by the above UK nationals and their families until 31 December 2020.
Under the current Healthcare Financing Law, EU citizens working in Latvia as employed or self-employed persons, and their family members, have access to state-funded healthcare services. These provisions covering UK nationals will be extended until 29 March 2019 when the UK leaves the EU. While employed UK nationals would retain such rights after the withdrawal, their family members would no longer be eligible for state-funded healthcare after the Brexit. That is the main purpose of the new regulation.
Proposed amendments will now have to be approved by the parliament of the Republic of Latvia, the Saeima.