Hospital directors have welcomed amendments to Lithuania’s Health Insurance Law that prioritise public health care providers in accessing the national health insurance funds, saying the changes could provide the long-term stability needed to plan services over the next decade. Private providers and opposition lawmakers, however, threaten to challenge the legislation.
The amendments, approved by parliament last week, require the National Health Insurance Fund to contract private providers only for services that cannot be delivered by state- and municipally-owned public health care institutions.
The changes do not apply to primary health care, where no limits will be set on the volume of services. Patients will continue to be free to choose between public and private primary care providers.
“We hope these changes will be long-lasting and sustainable because our system requires predictable strategic planning at least 10 to 15 years ahead, as in other developed countries, rather than planning for two or three years before policies change again,” Petras Bimba, director of Biržai Hospital, told a news conference at the Seimas, Lithuania’s parliament.
Hospital managers said the amendments recognise the broader responsibilities of public hospitals, including providing emergency care, preparing for emergencies and training medical residents.
“I think this is a very important step toward strategic planning that will allow us not only to meet contractual quotas but also to satisfy people’s health care needs,” said Aranta Butautaitė, director of Joniškis Hospital.
Gediminas Ramanauskas, president of the Lithuanian Hospital Association and head of Jonava Hospital, also welcomed the government’s decision to ease minimum activity thresholds for some publicly funded services, but criticised delays in the annual contracting process with the National Health Insurance Fund.
He said the new rules should help establish longer-term contracts beginning in 2027 and 2028.
Hospital representatives also welcomed separate legislation adopted in June to create 60 additional state-funded medical residency positions over the next three years for graduates who commit to working in regional health care institutions.
Bimba, however, said the measure would bring only about 20 new residents to regional hospitals each year, calling that insufficient to address physician shortages.
Deputy Speaker of the Seimas Orinta Leiputė, a social democrat, acknowledged the number was modest but said it would provide additional opportunities for young doctors while helping address staffing shortages outside major cities.
The amendments have received backing from Health Minister-designate Linas Kukuraitis, who has said they reflect an agreement reached last year between public and private health care providers.
However, business groups and opposition lawmakers have criticised the legislation, arguing there is no evidence that limiting private providers’ access to public health insurance funding will improve access to services in the regions. More than 60 organisations representing health care professionals, patients and private medical institutions have urged President Gitanas Nausėda to veto the amendments.
The legislation has not yet taken effect. Nausėda must either sign or veto the bill. Opposition lawmakers have also said they plan to challenge the amendments before the Constitutional Court.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
