The Estonian Health Insurance Fund's supervisory board discussed healthcare funding on Friday and, according to Laane, backed the fund's treatment funding plans for the coming years.

After the meeting, Laane said the fund expects to finish this year €43 million above budget and free up roughly €70 million in next year's resources. The plan also relies on tapping €106 million in retained earnings.

"The plan we presented today foresees an improvement of €71 million next year," he said. "And in the following two years, those figures will continue to grow."

Laane noted that the healthcare budget increases every year, including next year. "With smarter management — by adjusting a component of the funding model — we will strengthen primary care and clean up the data," he said.

With more doctors retiring than entering the field, family doctors' practice lists are expected to grow, Laane said. EHIF wants to develop an information system that will save doctors time on routine tasks — for example, by letting AI draft discharge summaries.

"There should be a better system for providing an overview of a patient's treatment history and helping make better care decisions," he added.

The outgoing fund chief emphasized that the rollout will be in agreement with family doctors, and start at a moderate pace once the system is ready.

"And those family doctors who take on larger practice lists and show it can be done — the others will follow," he said.

Earlier this month, Rain Laane announced his decision to step down as director of EHIF. His resignation was formally approved Friday during the supervisory board's regular meeting.

He will remain in office until August 31 to ensure a smooth handover to the acting director.

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