Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Latvia And The Government Of The Kingdom Of Sweden On Medical Care For Temporary Visitors

The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden,

Desirous of facilitating the provision of medical care for residents of the territory of one Party temporarily in the territory of the other Party,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

1. For the purposes of this Agreement "medical care" means:

a) in relation to Latvia, medical care under Latvian legal acts on state guaranteed health care services, including immediately necessary medical care;

b) in relation to Sweden, medical care under the Swedish sickness insurance legislation.

2. This Agreement shall apply also to any legislation which replaces, amends, supplements or consolidates the legislation referred to in paragraph 1 of the present Article.

Article 2

1. This Agreement applies to a resident of the territory of one Party who is entitled to medical care under the legislation of that Party referred to in Article 1 and is either:

a) temporarily in the territory of the other Party; or

b) in the territory of the other Party as the head of or a member of the staff of a diplomatic mission or consular post, established there by the first mentioned party, or a member of the family of that person who also forms part of the household of that person or a personal servant of that person.

2. This Agreement does not apply to persons who enter the territory of one of the Parties for the specific purpose of seeking medical care.

Article 3

1. Persons to whom paragraph 1 a) of Article 2 applies, in need of immediately necessary medical care while in the territory of the other Party, shall receive such care under the same conditions as apply to persons covered by the legislation of that Party. Such care shall be provided until their recovery or until their state of health permits them to return or to be repatriated to the territory of the Party where they reside.

2. Persons to whom paragraph 1 b) of Article 2 applies, shall be provided with medical care under the same conditions as apply to persons covered by the legislation of the other Party, whether or not the care is immediately necessary and regardless of the length of the stay in the territory of the Party in which the care is provided.

Article 4

1. The costs of medical care provided under this Agreement shall not be subject to the settlement of accounts between the Parties.

2. Any amount which is payable as patient fees or co/payment in respect of medical care provided in the territory of a Party by virtue of this Agreement, shall be borne by the person in respect of whom the medical care is provided.

Article 5

In order to get the right to medical care under this Agreement in the territory of the other Party, the person applying for the care shall present:

a) in relation to residents in Latvia, a valid Latvian passport or an identification document endorsed to the effect that the holder is residing in Latvia; or a valid Latvian residence permit; or a health insurance certificate issued by an institution designated by the Ministry of Welfare;

b) in relation to residents in Sweden, either a current Swedish passport or a sickness insurance certificate issued by a Social Insurance Office.

Article 6

1. The competent authorities for the application of this Agreement are:

a) in relation to Latvia, the Ministry of Welfare;

b) in relation to Sweden, the National Social Insurance Board.

2. The competent authorities shall send to each other as soon as possible details of any changes in laws and regulations in force in their respective territories which may significantly affect the nature and scope of services provided under this Agreement.

3. Matters relating to the implementation of this Agreement shall be resolved by consultation between the competent authorities.

Article 7

1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following the month in which both Parties have notified each other through the diplomatic channel that their respective legal and constitutional requirements for the entry into force have been fulfilled.

2. This Agreement shall remain in force until the expiration of 12 months from the date on which either Party receives from the other a written notice through the diplomatic channel of the other Party's decision to terminate this Agreement.

3. In the event that this Agreement is terminated in accordance with paragraph 2 of the present Article, the Agreement shall continue to have effect in relation to medical care which was being provided prior to or at the expire of the period of the notice referred to in that paragraph.

In witness whereof the undersigned, duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.

Done in Stockholm on February 4, 1998, in duplicate in the Latvian, Swedish and English languages, the three texts being equally authentic. In the case of divergency of interpretations, the English text shall prevail.

For the Government For the Government

of the Republic of the Kingdom

of Latvia of Sweden