Healthcare in Estonia for European Union insured person
Emergency Healthcare in Estonia
Every person staying in the territory of the Republic of Estonia has the right to receive emergency care. Emergency care refers to healthcare services provided in situations where delaying or withholding treatment could result in death or permanent health damage. Emergency care is provided free of charge by ambulance services outside hospitals, and by emergency departments in hospitals.
Necessary medical treatment
In the European Union, the principle applies that a person insured in one Member State is entitled to necessary medical care while temporarily staying in another Member State (as well as in Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the United Kingdom).
To receive necessary medical care abroad in case of sudden illness, the patient must present a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a Provisional Replacement Certificate, along with an identity document issued by the competent Member State. Medical care abroad is provided under the same conditions as for the insured residents of that country.
For example, if a person insured in Germany or Finland falls ill while temporarily staying in Estonia, they will receive treatment under the same conditions as persons insured in Estonia, provided they present an EHIC. Patients are required to pay a co-payment of €5 or €20. More information on patient co-payments is available here: https://tervisekassa.ee/en/visit-and-patient-fees-starting-1-april-2025
Further information: https://tervisekassa.ee/en/kontaktpunkt/national-contact-point/european-union-information-medical-institutions
If a patient does not have an EHIC or a Provisional Replacement Certificate, the healthcare provider may issue an invoice for the treatment, which must be paid by the patient. The patient can later apply for reimbursement from their home country’s insurance institution.
However, the provision of necessary care does not apply if a person travels to another Member State specifically for the purpose of receiving treatment. In such cases, the rules on planned healthcare apply (see below).
Planned Healthcare in Estonia
Persons insured in another EU Member State, as well as in Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, may travel to Estonia for planned medical treatment. In addition, people insured in Switzerland and the United Kingdom may also receive treatment in Estonia on the basis of the S2 certificate. There are two legal bases for this: Directive 2011/24/EU or Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
Planned treatment in Estonia can be received with prior authorisation, i.e., form E112 or certificate S2. If such authorisation is not presented, the invoice must be issued to the patient, not to the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (Tervisekassa). In all other cases, the patient must cover the cost of planned treatment themselves.
Please note! Forms E106 and E121 (S1) are not a basis for receiving healthcare. These forms must first be registered at the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. Only after registration the person is entered into the health insurance database, allowing them to receive care under the same conditions as persons insured in Estonia.
Options for Planned Treatment in Estonia
Under Directive 2011/24/EU, an insured person has the right to reimbursement of healthcare costs incurred abroad as if the treatment had been received in their home country. The extent of reimbursement is determined by the patient’s home country.
The directive on patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare has three main objectives: to clarify patients’ rights to receive healthcare in another EU Member State; to ensure the safety and quality of cross-border healthcare; to promote cross-border cooperation in healthcare.
The directive establishes patient rights intended to strengthen awareness of entitlements to cross-border healthcare and to ensure transparent complaints procedures and legal remedies. Each Member State defines its own reimbursement arrangements for its insured persons. For further details, please contact the national contact point for cross-border healthcare in your home country.
An insured person who has obtained prior authorisation under Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 is entitled to healthcare abroad as if they were insured under the host country’s social security system.
A patient authorised to receive treatment in another EU Member State must present an S2 certificate or form E112. With this, the patient is treated as if insured in the host country. This means that the patient must pay applicable co-payments (e.g., visit fees), while the treatment costs are billed directly by Tervisekassa to the country that issued the authorisation. Authorisation is granted by the patient’s home country if the treatment is included in the benefits covered by the statutory health insurance of the home country, or the treatment cannot be provided within a medically justifiable timeframe, considering the patient’s health condition and the likely course of the illness.
