Estonia is a small Baltic country that has gained a reputation for being one of the most advanced and innovative countries in the world. It is also a member of the European Union and NATO, which offer some benefits and protections for foreigners living or working in Estonia. However, if you are planning to move to Estonia, you might have some questions about the healthcare system and how it works for foreigners.
Healthcare in Estonia is not completely free, but it is mostly funded by general taxation through the National Health Service. The service is administered by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF), which covers about 95% of the population. To qualify for the EHIF, you need to be either a permanent resident, a legal resident who pays social tax, a student enrolled in a full-time course, a pensioner, a spouse or a child of an insured person, or a citizen of another EU/EEA country or Switzerland with a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
If you are covered by the EHIF, you can access most of the medical services and treatments for free or with a small co-payment. For example, you can visit a family doctor or a specialist (with a referral) for free, but you might have to pay up to 5 euros for a home visit or a hospital stay. You can also get some dental services and prescriptions with a discount, but you might have to pay a part of the cost yourself. You can find more information about the benefits and fees on the EHIF website.
If you are not eligible for the EHIF, you will need to purchase a private health insurance policy from a private insurance company before applying for a residence permit or a visa in Estonia. This is to ensure that you have adequate coverage for any medical expenses that you might incur during your stay in Estonia. You should also check the terms and conditions of your private health insurance policy, as some of them might have exclusions or limitations for certain services or treatments.
Several private insurance companies offer health insurance for foreigners in Estonia, such as ERGO, Salva, and Swisscare. The cost and coverage of the policies vary depending on the insurance company, the duration of your stay, your age, and your health status. You can compare the prices and benefits of different policies online or contact the insurance companies directly for a personalized quote. You can find some examples of private insurance companies and their websites below:
Estonia has a high-quality healthcare system that provides a wide range of services, such as primary care, specialist care, hospital care, and mental health care. The healthcare system is supervised by the Ministry of Social Affairs and supported by various agencies and institutions, such as the Health Board, the State Agency of Medicines, and the National Institute for Health Development. The healthcare system is also constantly improving and innovating, using digital technologies and e-services to enhance efficiency and accessibility. For example, Estonia has a digital prescription system, an electronic health record system, and a family doctor counseling line.
According to the World Health Organization, Estonia ranks 34th out of 191 countries in terms of overall health system performance, and 13th out of 35 European countries in terms of health-adjusted life expectancy. However, there are also some challenges and areas for improvement, such as reducing the high rates of smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity, increasing the availability and affordability of dental care and long-term care, and addressing health inequalities among different regions and social groups.
The cost of health insurance in Estonia depends on whether you are covered by the public or the private health insurance system. If you are covered by the public health insurance system (EHIF), you do not have to pay any monthly premiums, but you might have to pay some co-payments for certain services or treatments. The co-payments are usually small and capped at a certain amount per year. For example, you might have to pay up to 5 euros for a visit to a specialist or a hospital stay, up to 40 euros for dental care, and up to 25 euros for prescriptions per year.
If you are covered by the private health insurance system, you will have to pay monthly premiums that vary depending on the insurance company, the duration of your stay, your age, and your health status. The premiums can range from a few tens to a few hundreds of euros per month, depending on the level of coverage and the deductible that you choose. For example, ERGO offers three plans for foreigners in Estonia: Mini, Midi, and Maksi. The Mini plan has a total sum insured of 11,000 euros, the Midi plan has a total sum insured of 12,450 euros, and the Maksi plan has a total sum insured of 35,710 euros. The monthly premiums for these plans are 99.49 euros, 204.46 euros, and 264.90 euros, respectively.
Estonia has a three-tiered medical care system that consists of primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Primary care is provided by family doctors, who are the first point of contact for most health issues. They can diagnose and treat common illnesses, prescribe medications, refer patients to specialists, and issue sick leave certificates. You can choose your own family doctor from a list of registered doctors in your area, and you can change your family doctor once a year. You can find more information about how to find and register with a family doctor on the EHIF website.
Secondary care is provided by specialists, who offer more advanced and specialized services and treatments. You usually need a referral from your family doctor to see a specialist, unless you need to see a psychiatrist, gynecologist, dermatologist, dentist, ophthalmologist, or have a major trauma. The specialists work in hospitals or outpatient clinics, and you might have to pay a small visit fee (up to 5 euros) when you see them. You can find more information about secondary care and the visit fees on the EHIF website.
Tertiary care is provided by highly specialized doctors and medical centers, that offer the most complex and rare services and treatments. You usually need a referral from a specialist to access tertiary care, and you might have to wait for a longer time to get an appointment. Tertiary care is mostly covered by the EHIF, but you might have to pay some co-payments for certain services or treatments. You can find more information about tertiary care and the co-payments on the EHIF website.
Estonia has a digital prescription system, which means that your doctor can issue you a prescription electronically, and you can pick up your medication from any pharmacy in Estonia. You just need to show your ID card or passport to the pharmacist, and they will check your prescription from the national database. You might have to pay a part of the cost of your medication, depending on the type and amount of the medication and your health insurance status. You can find more information about the digital prescription system and the medication prices on the EHIF website.
Estonia has many pharmacies, both public and private, that offer a wide range of medications and health products. You can find a pharmacy near you by using the online pharmacy locator. Most pharmacies are open from Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and some are open on Saturdays and Sundays as well. You can also order your medication online from some pharmacies, and have them delivered to your home or a parcel terminal.
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