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12-01-2023

The health insurance funds: make sure to check, maybe there are unclaimed funds awaiting?

Iliustracija

As of 2021, with the change in the reimbursement procedure for dental prosthetics, people no longer have to pay for dental prosthetics with their own money and wait to receive reimbursement, however, the Territorial Health Insurance Funds (THIF) still have funds that were intended for reimbursement of dental prosthetics in previous years and that have been inherited by the relatives of deceased people but have not yet been collected.  

According to the data of the THIF, the number of people who have inherited and have not yet received reimbursement from their relatives for the prosthetic dentistry services performed exceeds 3 000. From 2006 to 31 December 2020, the amounts of dental prosthetics reimbursed by the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund that have been granted and have not been claimed can range from several tens to several hundreds of euros.     

Where do these funds come from?  Some people who have deceased relatives and have inherited their property are probably unaware that the deceased person had dental prosthetics made at their own expense and was expecting to be reimbursed for the costs they paid. Unfortunately, even though they did not receive reimbursement, when the time came, and they reach the top of the queue, the money they received after their deaths has not disappeared - it is waiting for their inheritors.   

The health insurance funds encourage those accepting an inheritance to find out whether the deceased could have been put on the waiting list for dental prosthetics by 31 December 2020 and whether he/she paid for the service out of pocket. The first step is to look for documents proving that the deceased had paid for his/her own dental prosthetics (once a claim for dental prosthetics has been submitted, a copy of the claim was left with the resident), and if you find them, to contact the Health Insurance Fund. If these documents cannot be found, it is recommended to contact the Territorial Health Insurance Fund or its representative in your municipality. When applying for reimbursement, inheritors must submit notarised documents proving the right of inheritance to the THIF.     

According to Sigita Paulauskienė, Head of the Population Service Division, Panevezys THIF, the problem of unclaimed money is most acute when single people die who have not been reimbursed, and anyone can become an inheritor of their property. In the absence of children, subsequent inheritors may not be closely related to the deceased and may not be aware of their activities. Neither do the THIF specialists have information about them and cannot contact them. As a result, for some patients, the money they have received after death for their own prosthetic dentures remains unclaimed for years in the health insurance funds.

The health insurance funds note that the following people are entitled to receive reimbursement for dental prosthetics:

  • children;
  • persons who have reached retirement pension age;
  • people declared unable to work or partially able to work;
  • patients who have undergone treatment for oral and maxillofacial oncological disease.

People no longer have to pay for dental prosthetics with their own money and wait for reimbursement. Once a dentist has determined the need for the services, the right to reimbursement of the cost of dental prosthetics is immediate, and the costs are paid to the institution that provided the services, if it has a contract with the THIF for the provision of these services.    

For more information about dental prosthetics, click here.  

(Freepik photo)

The NHIF invites you:

Your questions are welcome by email[email protected]or phone: local (8 5) 232 2222, international +370 5 232 2222

Last updated: 22-02-2023

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