Financial Services, Health, Markets and Companies, Taxation

Among the major changes proposed by WHO in the reports “Possibilities of guaranteeing sustainability of financing of the Estonian healthcare system” are the recommendations for the state to start paying medical insurance for pensioners as well as collecting social tax on dividend revenue, informs LETA.

As of now, Estonia is among the few European countries where the medical insurance system relies on the contribution of the working population alone and hence approximately 50% of the residents have to earn the funds that pay for services that are used by 95% of the population while 5% has no medical insurance.

Another thing that creates concerns with the Estonian healthcare is the portion people have to pay themselves for treatments and medicines. The high share of that cost has become a factor in Estonia for many people that restricts access to healthcare services or increases poverty risk of people.

Social Minister Hanno Pevkur agrees that in long-term perspective, the Estonian healthcare system and the tax system that supports it requires a reform but the main proposal, that the state would start contributing to health insurance for pensioners, he doesn’t consider possible in the coming years.