Mandatory health insurance

In Lithuania, as in many European countries, compulsory health insurance (PSD) is in force. Persons permanently residing in Lithuania are required to pay compulsory health insurance contributions.

The state guarantees free healthcare for insured persons in state and municipal healthcare institutions (except when certain tests or procedures are not covered by the State Health Insurance Fund (VLK) budget) and private institutions that have contracts with territorial health insurance funds. Meanwhile, persons without compulsory health insurance must pay for healthcare services themselves.

The following persons are considered insured persons under the PSD in Lithuania:

• persons who pay health insurance contributions individually (persons working under a certificate of individual activity, persons with a business certificate, other persons who are not insured by their employer or the state);
• persons for whom compulsory health insurance contributions are paid by their employers (persons working under employment contracts, civil servants, persons working under copyright contracts);
• persons insured by the state (unemployed persons registered with the employment exchange (except for foreigners who have a temporary residence permit in the Republic of Lithuania, if they have not worked in Lithuania for 6 months prior to registering with the employment exchange), women on maternity leave, one of the parents raising a child under 8 years of age, as well as one of the parents raising two or more minor children, pensioners and recipients of welfare benefits, persons under 18 years of age, students, full-time students, people receiving social assistance, and others).

All persons (both insured and uninsured) can visit state, municipal, and private healthcare institutions. The difference is that uninsured persons must pay for all healthcare services themselves, both in private and in state and municipal healthcare institutions. The entire medical history and services of the insured person are recorded in the electronic system esveikata.lt 

VOLUNTEERING

Although volunteers abroad claim that they were provided with health insurance, it is more important that they did not receive a salary from which taxes would be deducted. Therefore, in any case, when leaving to perform voluntary activities, it is advisable to deregister from our country.

Unlike conscripted soldiers, Lithuanian national defense volunteers are not granted PSD if they are not employed.

More information about PSD can be found at here.

STUDYING ABROAD

All students enrolled in full-time study programs are insured for the academic year at the expense of the state. In order for their insurance to remain valid after graduation, persons leaving to study at higher education institutions in the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland must submit a certificate confirming their student status from the foreign educational institution to the Territorial Health Insurance Fund (TLK) according to their place of residence.

Together with their identity document, they must submit the original official academic certificate issued by the educational institution confirming that the young person is indeed studying there. Only original documents are accepted for confirmation of compulsory health insurance (PSD).

The certificate can be submitted in person at the TLK, by mail (by sending the original certificate, a copy of the identity document, and a free-form application for confirmation of insurance), or through an authorized representative (power of attorney required). The certificate can be sent by e-mail if it indicates that its validity can be verified electronically. Student insurance is also confirmed in cases where the higher education institution itself sends an electronic document (certificate of studies) to the TLK.

It should be noted that this certificate must be submitted to the TLK every academic year, as student insurance is confirmed for the periods specified in the certificate, but for no longer than one academic year. Failure to submit the certificate will not only result in the termination of insurance coverage, but also in the calculation of PSD contribution arrears, which must be paid in order for the insurance coverage to become valid again. If studies begin later, prospective students must pay the PSD contribution for the period during which they are not studying themselves. For example, if studies begin in October, the PSD contribution for September must be paid independently.

Those who go to study outside Europe are not insured by the state, so they must take care of their own health insurance. Those who are going to study in Lithuania do not need to apply to the TLK for confirmation of insurance, as the necessary data is obtained from the Study Register.

TRAVELLING ABROAD

It is always worth obtaining a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This document confirms the right of a person covered by compulsory health insurance (PSD) to receive paid essential medical care services during a temporary stay in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) countries, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

The EHIC is issued free of charge by territorial health insurance funds and their representatives in municipalities. To obtain an EHIC, you must fill out a physical application form at the health insurance fund or submit an electronic application by logging into the VLK information system. If desired, the EHIC can be delivered in Lithuania to a post office specified by the applicant. If a person loses their compulsory health insurance status in the country that issued the EHIC, the card can no longer be used.