Disability pension recipient: 298 euros not enough to cover treatment costs
A reader named Santa says her 298-euro disability pension has driven her into debt due to high medical costs, criticizing Latvia's pension indexation system for penalizing younger recipients with short work records. Latvia's annual pension indexation takes effect on October 1.
Starting October 1, Latvia's annual pension indexation will take effect, this year tying the increase not only to pension size but also to a recipient's accumulated insurance record. While the change is generally viewed as positive, many people still receive pensions of only a few hundred euros.
A reader named Santa shared her experience with LA.LV. Now 37, she was granted second-degree disability status at age 24 following a cancer diagnosis, and health problems have continued since. As a result, her insurance record totals just 11 years, since ongoing health issues prevent her from holding stable employment — currently she cannot work at all. Her monthly benefit is 298 euros.
Treatment costs exceed her means
Santa says a large share of her income goes toward healthcare. Physiotherapy needed after spinal surgery costs 25 euros per session because state-funded quotas have run out, even though she is entitled to several free sessions. An urgently needed MRI scan for her spine cost her 165 euros out of pocket, since the wait for a free appointment would have been too long. She also had to pay for a cardiogram (22 euros), blood tests (at least 10 euros), and a paid neurosurgeon consultation at Riga's Stradiņš clinic (80 euros), since no free specialist was available. She notes that state discounts for people with disabilities are not accessible in acute cases, forcing her to borrow money and fall into debt.
Santa criticizes dividing pension indexation into categories based on work record, arguing it is unfair to young people who acquire a disability early in life and objectively cannot build up a long employment history.
Latvia's pension system and average figures
Latvia's pension system has three tiers: a mandatory unfunded state scheme, a funded savings tier, and voluntary private pension savings. Old-age pensions can be claimed from age 65 with at least 20 years of insurance record. According to the State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA), the average state pension planned for 2026 is 632.27 euros per month, up from 600.72 euros in 2025.
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