Medicines and Medical Aids

The price list of the compensated medicines is formed in Lithuania four times a year. The purpose is to reduce the prices of the compensated medicines and surcharges paid by the patients. The price list of the compensated medical aids (MA) is formed once in a year.

Not all the purchase expenses of the medicines and MA may be covered from the budget of the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund in Lithuania – only the expenses of the medicines and MA included into the lists approved by the Minister if Health:

• (A) List of diseases and compensated medicines to treat them;
• (B) List of compensated medicines;
• (C) List of compensated MA.

The medicines used to treat various diseases (for example, oncologic disease, tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, asthma, schizophrenia, disseminated sclerosis, blood coagulation disorders) are included into list A. They may be prescribed for all the insured persons who have the listed diseases. The basic prices of all the listed medicines are compensated by 100 percent.

The medicines prescribed to the persons within special social groups (for example, children, pensioners, people with disabilities, etc.), whose financial capacities to get certain medicines are smaller than capacities of other insured persons, are included into list B. The basic prices of all the listed medicines are compensated by 100 percent for children and persons with disabilities and by 50 percent for pensioners and persons with disabilities and working capacity reduced by 30-40 percent.

Since July 2020, the part of surcharge of the medicines and MA compensated from the State budget and intended for persons over 75 years old, has been compensated. Besides, the surcharges of medicines and MA are compensated in the same way if they are intended for pensioners and persons with disabilities, whose pensions, allowances, compensatory benefits, and annuities are smaller than 100 percent of last year’s amount for minimal consumer needs.

The MA included into list C (nursing tools, various diagnostic stipes, food products of special medical purpose, etc.) may be prescribed to all the insured persons according to the conditions provided in this list. If new MA are entered into list C, the price list of the compensated additional MA is supplemented, if necessary. The doctor is the one to decide about the need for MA. However, the prescriptions for the already used MA may be also issued by nurses. The nurses of general practice, community nurses and diabetes specialist nurses have the right to prescribe the majority of MA appointed by the doctor.

For more information (in Lithuanian), click here.