Compulsory health insurance

Like many other European States Lithuania has put in place the compulsory health insurance (CHI)privalomasis sveikatos draudimas or PSD in Lithuanian) system. All citizens and foreigners of the Republic of Lithuania permanently residing in Lithuania (having place of residence declared in Lithuania), as well as persons who are legally employed and temporarily residing in Lithuania must pay monthly health insurance contributions, and in case of an insured event have the right to receive personal health care services paid for from the budget of the fund. The individuals not covered with the CHI are required to pay for health care services themselves. 

For residents who belong to socially sensitive groups, these contributions are paid by the state. Full list of the cases, when a person can be insured by the state can be found here.

If you are insured with CHI, health care services, reimbursable medicines, medical aids, etc. are paid by the National Health Insurance Fund. National Health Insurance Fund (Valstybinė ligonių kasa) is a public authority executing the CHI in the Republic of Lithuania. An indicative list of basic health services is available on this website. There is no general price list for paid services in public health – the prices is each medical treatment facility are set, in accordance with the basic price list, by each treatment facility. All persons (both insured and not covered by the CHI) have access to public and municipal as well as private health care institutions. The difference is that non-insured persons are required to pay for all healthcare services provided both in private and public as well as municipal health care institutions.

The groups of the individuals covered by CHI (PSD) in Lithuania:

• Citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and foreigners permanently residing in the Republic of Lithuania;
• foreigners holding a temporary residence permit in the Republic of Lithuania (except for persons to whom the Law on Health Insurance of the Republic of Lithuania must apply in accordance with the regulations of the European Union social security systems), who work in the Republic of Lithuania or have worked in the Republic for at least 6 months and are registered in Lithuania;
• Persons temporarily residing in the Republic of Lithuania, who receive any type of pension in accordance with international agreements of the Republic of Lithuania;
• unaccompanied minor foreigners;
• foreigners who have been granted subsidiary protection in the Republic of Lithuania;
• persons to whom, in accordance with the regulations of the European Union for the coordination of social security systems, the Law on Health Insurance of the Republic of Lithuania must be applied;
• displaced persons.

Who is considered to be insured by CHI? 

Residents paying CHI contributions whose compulsory health insurance is valid in accordance with the procedure established by the Law on Health Insurance of the Republic of Lithuania.

How to pay CHI contributions myself? 

Self-insured persons must pay CHI contributions of 6.98% of the MMA each month until the last day of the current month. In 2023 it is  58,63.

When paying the contributions you:

1. Select the required payment code (444);
2. Select the bank to which you want to transfer the payments. You can find the list here.
3. If you want to pay at AB “Lietuvos pastas” branch, “Pay post” branch, „Perlas” terminal or at any bank branch, print out the payment order and pay contributions using it at the selected institution.

Are foreigners insured with the CHI?

CHI contributions have to be paid by every permanent resident in Lithuania (except if the contributions are paid for them by the state). Foreigners who live in Lithuania with a permanent residence permit or a card of the permanent residence permit in the country of a family member of an EU citizen, are subject to pay CHI contributions. If a permanent resident of Lithuania is employed the employer pays the CHI contribution for the employee. Permanent residents who are self-employed should pay the CHI contributions individually (read more).

Foreigners who are not considered as permanent residents of Lithuania (those with the Schengen visa, national (D) visa, temporary residence permit or a Temporary Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen) cannot be insured with CHI, except if they are employed, or have worked in Lithuania for 6 months and registered with the Employment Services after that).

Are foreign students covered with the CHI?

Students who are the citizens of European Union member countries are required to either have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or form S1 confirming that the student is ensured in other EU country. 

All students who are citizens of non-EU member countries are not covered by CHI by the state and are required to obtain private health insurance. The cost of health insurance obtained in Lithuania may vary from around 50 to 150 EUR per year depending on the insurance policy.

Read more about health insurance system in Lithuania

Source: National Health Insurance Fund