How will we pay for Estonia’s healthcare in the future?
Estonia’s healthcare expenditure has doubled over the past ten years. The situation is not sustainable – the Health Insurance Fund’s expenses exceed its revenues by approximately €100 million annually, and the accumulated reserves will, at best, last until the end of the decade. How can Estonia’s healthcare system be brought back onto a sustainable path?
A recent report by the Foresight Centre highlighted several possible solutions: a digital leap in healthcare, linking healthcare funding to patient health outcomes, expanding private health insurance, and directing additional tax revenues to the Health Insurance Fund. None of these decisions are simple or without side effects.
The conference explored international experiences in managing healthcare costs, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of Estonia’s healthcare system in comparison with other countries. Discussions focused on how to restore sustainability, the role of digitalisation and artificial intelligence, and how to move towards outcome-based payment models.
Video Recordings
1. Opening remarks (est)
Tea Danilov – Director of the Foresight Centre
2. Welcome message (est)
Signe Riisalo – Chair of the Social Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Estonian Reform Party)
3. Mitigating the impact of rising costs in the healthcare system (eng)
Jonathan Cylus, PhD – Head of the London Hub, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
4. Strengths, weaknesses and specific features of Estonian healthcare: what to preserve, what to change, and who to learn from? (est)
Triin Habicht – Senior Health Economist, WHO Barcelona Office for Health Systems Financing
5. The future of healthcare in Estonia: Foresight Centre scenarios 2020 vs. 2025 (est)
Kaupo Koppel – Expert, Foresight Centre
Report: Sustainability of Healthcare: Scenarios until 2035
Report: The Future of Estonian Healthcare: Scenarios until 2035
6. Panel discussion: “What decisions does Estonian healthcare urgently need?” (est)
Panelists:
Karmen Joller – Minister of Social Affairs (Estonian Reform Party)
Tanel Kiik – Member of Parliament (Social Democratic Party)
Peeter Padrik, PhD – CEO, Antegenes Ltd.
Siiri Lahe – Chair of the Management Board, Health Insurance Fund
7. Which digital solutions truly create value? (est)
Kadi Krinal, PhD – Senior Researcher, Institute of Health Technologies, TalTech; Head of the eHealth Centre
8. What does digitalisation cost, how much does it save, and what are the bottlenecks? (est)
Margus Arm – Director, Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre (TEHIK)
9. Panel discussion: “AI leap in healthcare!?” (est)
Panelists:
Pille Kink – Head of Digital Hospital, Tallinn Hospital Ltd.
Nele Labi – Deputy Secretary General for Innovation, Ministry of Social Affairs
Kristjan Vassil, PhD – Professor of Applied Technology Studies, University of Tartu; Chair of the
10. Outcome-based funding in healthcare – where should Estonia aim to go? (est)
Priit Kruus – Lecturer in eHealth Economics, TalTech; CEO, Dermtest
11. Health Insurance Fund goals in outcome-based funding (est)
Karl-Henrik Peterson – Member of the Management Board, Health Insurance Fund
12. Panel discussion: “Let’s start paying for recovery, not individual services!?” (est)
Moderated by Kitty Kubo, Head of Social Services Innovation and Technology, Ministry of Social Affairs
Panelists:
Joel Starkopf, PhD – Academician; Member of the Management Board, Tartu University Hospital; Professor, University of Tartu
Eero Merilind, PhD – Member of Parliament (Estonian Reform Party)
Elen Kirt – Board Member, Estonian Stroke Patients Association
The conference was organized by Foresight Centre.
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