Expensive examinations and procedures

Expensive examinations and procedures, the costs of which are reimbursed by the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (CHIF), are performed only for patients who have a referral from a specialist doctor (not a family doctor). Such a referral may be issued by a specialist doctor who provides secondary and tertiary specialized outpatient personal health care services, paid for from the CHIF budget.

Expensive examinations include computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and more. Expensive procedures include haemodialysis, therapeutic blood gravitational surgery, and other procedures.

These examinations and procedures can be performed in hospitals and outpatient clinics, as well as in specialized treatment institutions. The diseases (indications) for which the said examinations or procedures are prescribed are approved by orders of the Minister of Health. Expensive examinations and procedures are provided by institutions licensed to provide these services.

When the patient does not have to pay for a copy of the radiological examination images

If the referring doctor determines that he or she requires copies of the radiological examination of the patient, he or she shall indicate this in the referral of the patient. The specialist doctor who performed the examination shall provide these copies to the referring doctor together with a description of the radiological examination. In this case, the patient does not have to pay for copies of the images from the radiological examination performed on him.

In cases where, due to various circumstances, it later becomes apparent that the referring physician needs copies of the images of the radiological examination of the patient (i.e. to monitor the dynamics of the disease, etc.), the referring physician shall request these copies from the radiologist. Upon receipt of a radiological examination and upon request, the medical institution shall provide copies of the images of the radiological examination to the requesting medical institution. In this case, the patient does not have to pay for copies of the images from the radiological examination performed on him.

When the patient does have to pay for a copy of the radiological examination images

If the referring doctor is sufficient with a description of the radiological examination performed on the patient and he / she does not instruct to submit copies of the radiological examination images in the patient's referral, then, in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 part 5, at the request of the patient, the medical institution must make and issue copies of the patient's medical documents at his own expense. In this case, copies of the radiological examination images would be made at the patient's expense.

For more information, click here  (in Lithuanian).