Key topics
There is only one key theme describing market access for medical technologies in Latvia:
- Reimbursement: payment via the DRG-adjusted budget, fee-for-service and case-based payments
Reimbursement
The Ministry of Health (Veselības ministrija) is responsible for national health policy and the overall organization and functioning of the health system. The independent National Health Service (NHS - Nacionālais veselības dienests, NVD) implements state health policies and purchases publicly financed health services.
Hospital services are reimbursed via a mix of budget adjusted for activity based on DRGs, fee-for-service, and case-based payments. Reimbursed services, their payment mechanisms, and tariffs are defined in the national regulation. The reimbursable services are provided in the “List of state-paid services and their payment conditions”. Some procedures are accounted for and paid for in addition to the DRG tariff (via a pass-through cost payment mechanism).
Latvia shares the DRG system (NordDRG) with Nordic countries, including Sweden, Finland and Norway. DRGs are determined by the combination of a procedure code (NCSP) and a diagnosis code (ICD-10). The Latvian version of the NCSP nomenclature and the Latvian version of the NordDRG system are maintained by the Latvian NHS and are released annually.
Specifics for IVD tests
IVD tests provided in outpatient specialist settings are reimbursed on a fee-for-service basis.
How can MTRC help?
Development of reimbursement analysis (procedure coding, payment mechanism, reimbursement tariffs, policy and HTA considerations)
Get in touch
Contact us to discuss your needs and learn about our services