Lithuania

Consult a general practitioner who works at a healthcare institution that has an agreement with one of the Territorial Health Insurance Funds (Teritorinė ligonių kasa, THIF). You can obtain a list of treatment providers (e.g. doctors and medical centres) that have agreements with a health insurance fund from a regional THIF office. Medical treatment is free of charge if you present your European Health Insurance Card and ID.

You can also consult a specialist with a referral from a general practitioner — in this case, the treatment is also free of charge. If you consult a private doctor who does not have an agreement with the THIF, you will need to pay the full cost of care yourself.

If you need urgent dental care, consult a dentist who has a contract with one of the THIFs. Dental treatment is free of charge if you show your European Health Insurance Card, except for the cost of materials, such as those used in fillings. However, only a limited number of dentists in Lithuania have such contracts, as most work privately. As a private patient, you must pay the full cost of treatment yourself.

When you collect prescription medicines in Lithuania, present your European Health Insurance Card and ID. The health insurance fund will cover the cost of certain medicines approved by the Lithuanian Ministry of Health. You will be reimbursed for the full approved amount, and you only need to pay the patient co-payment, which is typically less than 5.87 euros per package.

If the medicine is covered, the pharmacy will automatically deduct the reimbursement from the total price. Please note that not all medicines are reimbursed—if the medicine is not covered, you will need to pay the full cost yourself. In Lithuania, prescriptions are valid for 30 days.

You can also buy medicines in Lithuania with an electronic prescription issued by your doctor in Finland. To purchase the medication, show your passport or official identity card at the pharmacy. Please note that not all medicines can be purchased with an electronic prescription abroad. You can check any applicable restrictions on the Kanta.fi website. You can claim reimbursement from Kela afterwards.

Admission to hospital takes place following a referral from a general practitioner or specialist. In an emergency, you can go directly to the hospital. Present your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and ID to receive treatment free of charge. Emergency ambulance transport is also free of charge.

Before seeking treatment, check with the doctor’s surgery whether the healthcare provider accepts a referral issued by a doctor in Finland. Private hospitals and treatment centres may have different policies regarding foreign referrals.

Remember to make sure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your health centre with the patient records concerning the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging that yourself.

If you believe you have received incorrect or inadequate treatment, you can file a complaint directly with the hospital or treatment facility that provided your care. The healthcare provider is required to respond to your complaint within 20 working days. Additional information about the complaints procedure is available on the website of the Lithuanian National Contact Point.

Primary healthcare in Lithuania is provided by family doctors or by primary care teams that may include a specialist in internal medicine, a general practitioner, a paediatrician, a gynaecologist-midwife, and a surgeon. Each person must register with a family doctor, who has the right to refer patients to specialised care. Patients are free to choose their primary care centre, family doctor, and the hospital to which they are referred.

Primary healthcare services are available at public or private outpatient healthcare institutions. Specialised outpatient care is provided in outpatient clinics and hospital polyclinics, which may be state-, municipal-, or privately owned.

If the healthcare provider does not have an agreement with one of the Territorial Health Insurance Funds (THIF), the patient must pay for the services themselves.

Emergency care may be provided by family doctors during service hours. Urgent care is also available at hospital emergency departments.