On 29 September, representatives of the International Cooperation Department of the National Health Service (NHS) took part in an exchange visit organised by the European Labour Authority (ELA) to the Estonian Health Insurance Fund in Tallinn. Representatives of the Cross-Border Healthcare Department of the Lithuanian Health Insurance Fund also participated in the meeting.
Representatives of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund provided an overview of Estonia’s health insurance system, its current challenges and future plans. Also presented the work of the European Affairs Department in implementing EU regulations on the coordination of social security systems and the provisions of the Cross-Border Healthcare Directive.
Colleagues from the Baltic states exchanged experience and discussed procedures and challenges related to the reimbursement of cross-border healthcare costs. Representatives from Lithuania and Latvia also presented their electronic information exchange systems in the field of social security and outlined plans for their further development.
The European Union’s plans to digitalise the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) across all Member States generated particularly active discussion. The initiative aims to enable residents to obtain and use the EHIC in digital format in the future.
The NHS International Cooperation Department was represented by Head of Department Andreta Līvena, Deputy Head Zane Arikāne, and Senior Experts Lienīte Ganševska and Valda Štamere.