The Health Insurance Fund aims to reduce costs. In doing so, the number of services may decrease. This means that queues at hospitals and doctors may grow.
Andres Võrk, a lecturer at the University of Tartu, said that little is known about the Health Insurance Fund’s plans. One clear method is the postponement of salary increases for healthcare workers. This creates significant tension between workers and the Health Insurance Fund.
Võrk added that the Health Insurance Fund will not raise salaries. Healthcare institutions would need to find funds for salary increases themselves. However, wages constitute a large portion of costs, making this difficult.
If the Health Insurance Fund reduces the number of services, it may increase queues. The population is aging, and the demand for healthcare services is growing. If the number of services does not increase, longer queues will arise.
Edvard Garder, CEO of Confido, said that the Health Insurance Fund should act like an insurance company. It should purchase services based on quality and price. Garder believes that without major reforms, it is impossible to achieve sustainability in the healthcare system.
Võrk emphasized that the Covid pandemic significantly increased the Health Insurance Fund’s costs. Rising wages and input prices have made the situation tougher. Reducing costs without reducing services seems impossible.
Võrk added that some healthcare services, such as lab services, may become cheaper due to technological advancements. However, due to hospital losses, it is not possible to simply make services cheaper.