Access to medical care
Session: 15th Estonian Parliament, 4th sitting, press briefing
Date: 2024-10-16 15:30
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 13
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 14m
AI Summaries: 13/13 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Riigikogu member Kert Kingo submitted an inquiry to Minister of Health Riina Sikkut regarding the accessibility of medical care, focusing on the government's plan to raise the fee for specialist medical care and emergency room visits from 5 euros to 20 euros. Kingo criticized the sudden fourfold increase, arguing that it will significantly worsen the accessibility of medical care, especially for residents of rural areas with lower incomes, for whom additional transportation costs will make visiting a doctor too expensive, forcing them to choose between medical care and food. She accused the government of saving money at the expense of people's health.
Minister Riina Sikkut explained that the fees have remained at the same level since 2013 and the purpose of the increase is to better target support and motivate behavioral change. Sikkut emphasized that the fee of 5 euros remains for vulnerable groups (children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with reduced ability to work, and recipients of subsistence benefits). The increased 20-euro fee for working people for emergency room visits should motivate them to see a family doctor, as over half of emergency room visits are unnecessary. She added that specialist medical care fees are mostly charged only once a year. Sikkut also pointed out that other Nordic countries have higher fees.
Lauri Laats submitted a clarifying question, criticizing the restriction of emergency room visits in a situation where access to a family doctor is difficult. He also inquired about the deficit of the Health Insurance Fund and the inaccuracy of the financial data presented in the explanatory memorandum of bill 507. Minister Sikkut confirmed that there was an error in the explanatory memorandum (data from the spring forecast was used) and the overall impact of the fee increase and the reduction of patient co-payments for nursing care on the 2025 budget is approximately 20 million euros, in addition to 21 million euros in savings from increased efficiency of the Health Insurance Fund.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Kert Kingo, a Member of the Riigikogu, is submitting a question to Riina Sikkut regarding the accessibility of medical care.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo is criticizing the government's decision to quadruple the specialist medical care visit fee (raising it from 5 euros to 20 euros). She argues that this will worsen the accessibility of specialist care for rural residents while increasing transportation costs, effectively forcing people in rural areas to choose between seeing a doctor or buying food.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut stated that the specialist visit fee will remain five euros, but for working individuals, it will increase to 20 euros. Furthermore, emergency room (ER) visits should encourage people to see their family doctor instead, and the visit fee will only be charged for certain appointments (such as annual monitoring by a specialist). The largest out-of-pocket expenses will stem from medications and dental care, and reducing the cost of inpatient nursing care will help ease the overall burden.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked [the previous speaker] and invited Kert Kingo to ask a clarifying question.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo criticizes the fourfold increase in the specialist consultation fee as unfair and detrimental to residents of rural areas and low-income individuals. She argues that this increase does not promote health maintenance or preventative care, and questions how a higher fee helps people get health checkups with specialists like a cardiologist, urologist, orthopedist, or neurologist.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut said that the majority of health issues are resolved with the help of family doctors and nurses, and the specialist visit fee will change so that a working person pays 20 euros annually, vulnerable groups continue paying five euros, and if necessary, an income-related visit fee will be considered in the future.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanked the speaker and, addressing Lauri Laats, invited him to ask a follow-up question.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats criticizes the simplified comparison of the Emergency Department (ED) versus the general practitioner (GP) and the mere acknowledgment of the GP accessibility problem. Furthermore, regarding Draft Act 507, he asks whether the planned measures will reduce the Health Insurance Fund's deficit and what their impact on the patient will be.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
This means your time has come.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He asks how large the total sum would be that the state would save by raising the visit fee and other charges, in accordance with that law.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut emphasized that the family doctor serves as the first point of contact, and prescriptions can be renewed using the 1220 advice line without needing to visit the emergency department, as the emergency room is intended only for acute emergencies. The 2025 budget will reflect a total impact of approximately 20 million euros stemming from the rise in visit fees, prescription fees, and hospital bed-day fees, alongside an additional saving of about 21 million euros. Detailed calculations and a written explanation will be forthcoming shortly. Finally, there is an error on page 16 concerning the utilization of spring forecast data.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chair thanks Madam Minister and requests her assistance.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
He thanks everyone and announces that he is concluding the discussion of today’s third question.