Using digital technologies to make access to medicines and dental care more affordable: a case study from Estonia

Overview

This study focuses on the use of digital technologies, alongside changes in coverage policy, to enhance affordable access to health care in Estonia. In the last two decades, Estonia has taken steps to reduce out-of-pocket payments by strengthening protection from user charges (co-payments) for outpatient prescribed medicines as well as by expanding the coverage of dental care. In both cases it has used digital tools to make it easier for people to access these benefits. The paper provides details on how to effectively develop, design, and implement such digital technologies and identifies the related supporting factors.

The paper showcases how digital solutions can support the realization of a coverage extension policy, thus contributing to progress towards universal health coverage (UHC). Digital technologies have helped to overcome financial hardship caused by a lack of awareness about eligibility for protection from co-payments and complicated retrospective application processes. They can also reduce the burden of complex administrative processes like processing applications for benefits, which saves time for staff at a purchasing agency, as well as for patients.