Lithuania to Impose Heavy Fines on Clinics for Illegal Patient Fees
The Lithuanian government has approved a legislative package aimed at cracking down on healthcare providers and pharmacies that charge patients illegal surcharges. The proposal, spearheaded by the Ministry of Health (SAM), introduces a new system of financial penalties designed to replace current administrative measures that officials say have failed to deter repeat offenders.
Under the new rules, medical institutions and pharmacies found in violation of health regulations will face significant fines. The primary objective is to ensure that healthcare activities align with national laws, protect the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (PSDF) budget, and safeguard the rights and safety of patients. This move marks a shift in the state’s approach from corrective oversight to active financial deterrence.
Stricter Financial Deterrents for Healthcare Providers
Currently, when a healthcare provider in Lithuania is caught charging illegal fees or mismanaging public funds, the consequences are often limited. Institutions are typically required to rectify the violation, compensate the PSDF for any damage, or return the illegally collected surcharge to the patient. However, health officials argue that these measures do not provide a sufficient disincentive.
Skirmantas Krunkaitis, the Vice Minister of Health, emphasized that the changes target cases where harm is done to socially and financially vulnerable individuals—the sick. “The current measures are limited to the obligation to remove the violation or return the money, but this does not deter institutions from repeated violations,” Krunkaitis stated.
The proposed fines are structured to be punitive and proportional to the violation. If a provider causes financial damage to the PSDF budget, they will face a fine ranging from 20% to 100% of the total damage caused. More significantly, if an institution is found to have taken an illegal surcharge directly from a patient, the fine will be between 5 and 15 times the amount of that surcharge.
Protecting Vulnerable Patients and Public Funds
For violations that do not involve direct financial damage to the state budget or illegal patient fees—such as regulatory or administrative breaches—the fines will be set between 2 and 10 “basic social benefits” (a standard unit used in Lithuania for calculating social payments and fines).
The calculation of these fines will follow the same protocols used for damage to state or social insurance budgets. This includes a system where the average fine is the starting point, which is then adjusted based on mitigating or aggravating circumstances. For instance, multiple mitigating factors would result in a minimum fine, while multiple aggravating factors would lead to the maximum penalty.
Beyond financial surcharges, the Law on Healthcare Institutions will also be amended to include fines for more severe operational failures. These include cases where services are suspended due to violations, or where an institution’s license is revoked because it provided forged documents to obtain it. This broader scope ensures that the integrity of the entire healthcare system is maintained, not just the financial aspects.
Implementation and Future Regulatory Oversight
The legislative package must now pass through the Seimas (the Lithuanian Parliament) for final approval. If the amendments to the Law on Health Insurance and the Law on Healthcare Institutions are adopted, the new penalty system is scheduled to come into effect on November 1, 2026.
This lead time is intended to allow healthcare providers and pharmacies to audit their internal processes and ensure full compliance with the law before the heavy financial penalties begin. For patients, the move represents a significant step toward a more transparent healthcare system where the cost of care is predictable and protected by law.
Source: ELTA
