TALLINN — The Estonian government voted Thursday to establish a daily fee for nursing hospital patients, who will now pay a large percentage their pensions for nursing care.
Estonia’s publicly-run health system has two facilities primarily for elderly patients — nursing hospitals for shorter stays and nursing homes for permanent residence and end-of-life care. Now patients at the nursing hospitals will have to pay 15 percent of the nursing care fee, which is 94.90 krooni (€6) of 632.60 krooni (€40.43) from Jan. 1.
The 15 percent self-funding fee has been planned for a long time as part of the nursing care network development plan for 2004-2015 approved by the government in 2006, during the “Baltic Tiger” boom.
The Ministry of Social Affairs points out that since the population is aging, the need for nursing services is also increasing and the money must come from somewhere.
“As European Union funds are used to build hospitals, self-funding will allow more nursing care,” ministry spokesman Eli Lilles told Baltic Reports.
One of the ministry’s goals is to further develop home nursing care, so a patient would not have to stay in a hospital but can enjoy the service at home. The capacity of home care services is increasing annually.
However, the price increase will likely leave some patients without the necessary funds unable to use nursing hospitals. The average pension in Estonia is only 4,723 krooni (€300) a month, yet 30 days in a nursing home will now cost nearly 3,000 krooni (€191).
The Estonian Patients Advocacy Association asserts that the new arrangement favors the state and health care providers over patients.
“Revising home care system and ensuring sufficient aid for adapting in the new situation would be in patients’ interests,“ Anne Veskimeister, association spokeswoman told Baltic Reports
Veskimeister says the fee introduction leaves the patients in the care of their families without considering if the family is able to finance their nursing care. Meanwhile it is unthinkable for an insurance company to sign a contract with a person who is in a hopeless situation.
“The government should prepare people before imposing self-funding such as this, for example to have a chance to save money through a similar fund to a pension fund,” Veskimeister told Baltic Reports.
The price will affect around 10,000 patients per year who need nursing care in Estonia.
Estonians are smart. This is going to be cheaper than they expect. Many old one simply cannot pay that. Let them die, or what? That is saving if something! Estonia needs to save for joining Eurozone, it is certainly more important than old citizens. ???