Compensation for medicines partly is covered under national social insurance scheme (the Regulations) for medicines prescribed by Latvian doctor.

The Agency channels financial resources to their Branches and Sickness funds in accordance with the concluded contracts.

The Regulations anticipate that patients have to be enabled to procure drugs, medical remedies and goods, expenses of which in accordance with the diagnosis of disease, category of compensation and base price of category have to be covered by State from the resources of the state compulsory health insurance.

The following reimbursement categories shall be applied:

• category 1- full reimbursement 100% for serious diseases, when medicine ensures patient’s life;
• category 2 – reimbursement is 90% when without medication is difficult to ensure patient’s life;
• category 3 – reimbursement is 75% for other chronic diseases when the medication is necessary to maintain the patient’s health;
• category 4 – reimbursement is 50% for chronic and acute diseases when the medication is necessary to improve patient’s health ;

Such prescribed medicines may purchase from a chemist. The chemist can charge the service fee Ls 0,10 in addition.

In cases for which the rules for compensation apply the family practitioner issues the special receipt, which is valid 15 days. Other medicines prescribed by doctor the patient covers by himself/herself and validity of ordinary receipt is three months.

The specific disease, its character and the degree of gravity are taken into account when determining the amount of compensation for medicines.