Under the Health Insurance Act, a Hospital May Charge an Insured Patient an Inpatient Fee for a Maximum of 10 Calendar Days Per Case.

Estonia's Health Insurance Fund has asked the Ministry of Social Affairs to clarify whether patients transferred between hospitals should be charged a new inpatient fee, after the 10-day fee period restarts with each transfer. Under the Health Insurance Act, a hospital may charge an insured patient an inpatient fee for a maximum of 10 calendar days per case.

However, when a patient is moved from one hospital to another — for example, to a facility closer to home — the second hospital may begin charging the fee again for up to 10 days, even if the underlying health issue is unchanged. Siiri Lahe, chair of the Health Insurance Fund's management board, contacted Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller, noting that the meaning of