Latvia
In emergencies call 112 or 113 (ambulance) to obtain help.
Accessing care
With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you can receive medically necessary treatment during a temporary stay in Latvia. Medically necessary treatment means treatment that cannot wait until you return home. You may need such treatment, for example, due to sudden illness or an accident.
You can also receive treatment related to pregnancy, childbirth, or chronic illnesses. If you have a condition that requires regular treatment while you are staying abroad, contact a health care provider in advance to arrange the treatment.
The European Health Insurance Card does not guarantee free treatment and you will be charged the same amount as local residents. We recommend carrying additional copies of your card. If you do not have a European Health Insurance Card or if it is not accepted, you will need to pay the cost of treatment yourself. You can then apply for reimbursement from Kela afterward.
In Latvia, the public health system is the responsibility of the National Health Service (Nacionālais veselības diensts, NVD). If a healthcare service provider has a contract with NVD, NVD will reimburse costs of treatment directly to the service provider and the patient will be charged only a small standard fee at the place of treatment. Information about EU citizens´ entitlement to hospital treatment in Latvia can be obtained by calling +371 67045005 or by contacting the email address nvd@vmnvd.gov.lv.
Private health services are also provided in Latvia. These facilities do not have a contract with NVD, and therefore the costs of treatment are not reimbursed in Latvia.
Sudden illness
Doctor
See a general practitioner who has an agreement with NVD. Show your European Health Insurance Card and ID at the appointment. You will be charged a patient contribution. In order to obtain treatment by a specialist, you will usually need a referral from a general practitioner. The patient contribution is slightly higher for an appointment with a specialist than a general practitioner.
Treatment from general practitioners and specialists is free for
- patients under the age of 18
- pregnant people being treated in connection with their pregnancy
- certain groups of patients with particular diagnoses
Dentist
In Latvia, state-funded dental care is only available for children. Adult patients pay the full price.
Medication
To obtain medication, you need a special prescription form written by a doctor working under contract to the NVD. Special prescriptions are valid for 3 months. You can be reimbursed for medication obtained with a special prescription. Regular prescriptions are valid for one year. To collect the medicine, go to a pharmacy that has a contract with the NVD. In addition to the prescription, show your European Health Insurance Card and ID at the pharmacy. The level of reimbursement depends on the nature of the illness treated and the reference prices laid down in Latvia. Some medicines are not eligible for reimbursement at all. Reimbursement is applied for afterwards from either Latvia or Kela.
Hospital care
You can access hospital treatment if you have a doctor´s referral. In emergencies, you can go directly to a public hospital. For in-patient treatment, you will be charged a patient fee starting from the second day staying in the hospital. There are additional fees applied for diagnostic examinations like CT examinations and MRI. Show your European Health Insurance Card and ID at the hospital.
Emergency ambulance transport is free of charge if the ambulance is sent by the 113 service and you present your European Health Insurance Card.
If your illness requires you to use special transport when returning to Finland, you will be liable for the travel costs in their entirety. You are recommended to take out a travel insurance that covers these costs.
Read more about suddenly falling ill in Europe.
Read more about reimbursement of costs of treatment abroad.
Useful websites
If you want to travel to Latvia to use healthcare services there, you should read our website for general information about seeking treatment abroad. More useful information is also provided on the website of the Latvian Contact Point.
Quality and safety of treatment
The Health Inspectorate supervises healthcare services provided within the country. In particular, the quality and availability of treatment as well as the competence of healthcare professionals are subject to supervision.
If you feel you have received incorrect or inadequate treatment in Latvia, settle the matter primarily with the treatment facility that provided the care. If the issue requires follow-up measures, you can lodge a complaint with the Health Inspectorate. Additional information about the complaint procedure is available on the website of the Latvian Contact Point.
Healthcare system
The statutory health care system of Latvia is based on general, tax-financed health care provided by both private and public service providers. The National Health Service (Nacionālais veselības diensts, NVD) is a key institution in terms of the implementation of health policies, administering the financial resources of the state, determining the contents of the benefits package and contracting with healthcare service providers.
The NVD contracts with a variety of service providers, which may be public or private. Most primary care physicians practice their profession as independent professionals and have their own practices. Almost all dental practices and pharmacies are private.