Estonian Health Insurance Fund

Estonian health insurance relies on the principle of solidarity. The Health Insurance Fund covers the costs of health services required by the person in case of illness regardless of the amount of social tax paid for the person concerned.  The Fund uses the social tax paid for the working population, also for covering the cost of health services provided to persons who have no income with regard to work activities. The employers are required by the law to pay social tax for all persons employed, whereby the rate of this tax is 33 % of the taxable amount, and of which 20 % is allocated for pension insurance and 13 % for health insurance.

The purpose of health insurance in Estonia is to cover the costs of health services provided to insured persons, prevent and cure diseases, finance the purchase of medicinal products and medicinal technical aids, and provide the benefits for temporary incapacity for work and other benefits.

Health insurance is organised by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund and its 4 local departments. The Estonian Health Insurance Fund is the only organisation in Estonia dealing with compulsory health insurance. Estonian Health Insurance Fund was created in 2001.

The Health Insurance Fund submits the draft annual budget to the Fund’s Supervisory Board for approval, revises and approves the budgets of regional departments, manages and co-ordinates the activities of the regional departments of the Fund, and performs advisory, guidance and supervisory functions. The regional departments of the Fund keep account of insured persons, conclude contracts with the providers of health services, check the quality of health services provided the insured, grant benefits for temporary incapacity for work and process the applications furnished by the insured.  

The Chairman of the Supervisory Board is Minister of Social Affairs.

The client information line of the Health Insurance Fund is 16363 (calling from abroad +372 669 6630).