Health insurance funds will pay more for treatment services
Since this year, by the order of the Minister of Health, the value of the base price score of many healthcare services has been significantly increased. In less than two years, it has risen by more than 20 percent. According to the specialists of the health insurance funds, this will allow medical institutions to earn more funds and thus raise the salaries of their employees.
"In order to enable medical institutions to receive more funds from the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund, the services provided from 1 January 2022 onwards will be paid for at already increased values of the basic prices of healthcare services. This year's budget has allocated 111 million euros”, states Ms. Simona Adamkevičiūtė, Director of the Economics Department of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) under the Ministry of Health.
According to her, both the basic prices of healthcare services and the score values of these basic prices are applied equally to all medical institutions, regardless of the method of their establishment, participation in the implementation of the provisions of the collective agreement of the Lithuanian National Health System, etc.
Primary outpatient healthcare (PAHC) remains one of priorities further. Its score has increased by more than 6 percent since this year and is one of the highest compared to the base price score for other healthcare services at 1.253 euro. This score value applies to the annual base price of PAHC services, the incentive supplement, the good performance supplement, as well as the supplement for each person enrolled with a family doctor, and so on.
The score value for the basic prices of ambulance services, the incentive supplement, the good performance supplement and the organisational supplement for ensuring the cluster function increased by more than 6%. As of this year, it is equal to 1,247 euro.
The value of the nursing service score has increased by 6 percent. Thus, the score value of the basic price of nursing and supportive care, outpatient care services at home, palliative care and nursing for patients with diabetes is equal to 1,240 euros.
The score value of the basic price for outpatient healthcare services (excluding day surgery services and cataract operations) increased by 6.5 percent. It is now euros 1,270. And the score value of the basic price for inpatient healthcare services, day surgery services and cataract operations is equal to 1.211 euros. The score value of the basic price for expensive examinations and procedures performed under outpatient conditions is 1.210 euros.
The score value of the basic amount for medical rehabilitation and sanatorium treatment services and dental prosthesis services is 1.230 euros. Meanwhile, the score value of the basic prices for services provided under prevention programs is equal to 1.259 euros. It grew by more than 6.5 percent.
From this year, the score value of the basic price for healthcare services provided under the 2015–2025 transplantation program is equal to 1.198 euros.
“From April 2020, when the score value was 1 euro, the score value has risen significantly so far. Thus, in a very short term, over 20% more have been paid for the same services to medical institutions. In addition, it is gratifying that the rates and scores finally funded by the CHIF are no longer increasing at the expense of the reserve, but from the growing funds in this budget. This is as it should be - according to the possibilities of CHIF”, emphasized Ms. Adamkevičiūtė.
According to her, by allocating additional funds from the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund to increase the rates of healthcare services every year, medical institutions will earn more funds and thus will be able to consistently raise the salaries of doctors, nurses and other employees of the medical institution. This is also provided for in the collective agreement of the LNHS sector signed in November last year.
“The calculations of the health insurance funds show that the salaries of medical staff should increase by 5.8 percent from the second quarter of this year. Meanwhile, with the minimum monthly wage rising from 642 euros to 730 euros, the salaries of other employees of medical institutions receiving the minimum monthly salary for the current month should increase by as much as by 14 percent since January”, says the head of the Economics Department of the NHIF.
The increased funds will reach medical institutions and their staff, as usual, when the services are paid for. Every year, funds are transferred for the services provided in January at the end of March and the beginning of April.
Healthcare financing in Lithuania has been increasing by hundreds of millions of euros for five years in a row. Economists note that medical salaries are growing probably the fastest of all sectors of the country's economy.
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Last updated: 28-03-2022
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