Joller faces medical groups’ opposition over plan to disband advisory panel

Estonian Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller plans to disband a medical experts’ commission that advises the Health Insurance Fund’s supervisory board, drawing protests from healthcare organisations concerned they will be excluded from funding decisions, ERR reports.

Joller said the board needs different advice and expertise, arguing that the current commission has not always provided competent recommendations. She also accused it of leaking information.

Eight healthcare associations, including those representing doctors, nurses, ambulance services and hospitals, oppose the plan. They say important healthcare funding decisions could be made behind closed doors without input from medical professionals.

“Every euro spent in healthcare through the Health Insurance Fund’s decisions has a significant impact,” said Urmas Sule, head of the Hospitals Association board. He said experts who understand the consequences of the decisions should be involved in shaping funding and strategic positions.

Former Social Affairs Minister Jevgeni Ossinovski called the plan “a disgrace”. He said that when the law was changed eight years ago, the state promised to take medical professionals’ views into account, even though they could no longer be appointed to the fund’s supervisory board. The commission was established for that purpose.

The panel’s role is to explain how proposed changes would affect healthcare in practice. Ossinovski said decision-makers needed to understand the consequences of any cuts to treatment volumes.

Commission member Elle-Mall Sadrak said the current arrangement amounted to “tokenistic involvement” because the panel’s views were not taken into account. She opposes disbanding it and said the supervisory board should listen to experts, suggesting the commission’s opinion could be made binding on the board.

Joller said she would present new experts to the supervisory board at its meeting on October 16.