IOM MIGRATION INFORMATION CENTRE

Health insurance for citizens of EU/EEA in the Slovak Republic

As of 1st January 2016, health insurance companies began issuing a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This replaces the E 111 form, which became invalid at the end of 2005. 

Health care is provided in medical facilities or general and special clinics. It is possible to communicate with a doctor in a foreign language in some of these facilities (English, German, French, Russian ...).

In the case of life-threatening conditions or severe acute cases, it is necessary to call the emergency lines 155 or 112.

Conditions of health care coverage to citizens of EU/EEA countries

The Health Insurance Act no.580 / 2004 Coll. regulates insurance on the basis of which medical care is provided to the policyholder, as well as services related to health care. 

According to this Act, public health insurance is compulsory for any person who does not have permanent residency in the Slovak Republic, unless he has health insurance in another EU Member State, or in a bilateral agreement between states in the European Economic Area, or in the Swiss Confederation.  Payers of such insurance are either the employee, a self-employed person, an employer or the state. 

Health care contributions cover the major part of health care costs. The patient must pay the full amount for certain medications and medical services himself.  Health insurance also covers part of the cost of health care by a dentist. 

Patients pay doctors' fees according to predetermined costs.  Public health insurance regulates the control of medicines. Nevertheless, according to the price list of medicaments issued by the Ministry of Health, certain medicines and medical devices are partially or fully reimbursed. 

For tourists, au pairs and students, it is more convenient to buy commerical insurance when traveling if you regularly pay for health insurance in the country of origin. The insurance company, which  insures the citizen, is required to reimburse acute healthcare provided in the Member States. It should, however, be kept in mind that the fees for medical care are not the same in different countries. 

For the receiving of health care, a person from another Member State must demonstrate a European health insurance card (hereinafter EHIC) or a replacement certificate, as well as a passport or identity card. If the policyholder resides in Slovakia, he too must demonstrate a Slovak health insurance card where he is registered. This type of a card has an 'EU' symbol in the upper right corner of the card. 

In the case that you do not have any identification, then financial compensation is required for the provision of outpatient care and it is necessary to ensure a replacement EHIC certificate for health care.

Compulsory health insurance for citizens of EU/EEA in Slovakia

Policyholders from EU countries (other than Slovakia) must provide a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a replacement certificate for the EHIC. 

If you are employed in Slovakia, your employer is required to register you to a local health insurance company within eight days of employment, and you are required to cancel your insurance benefits upon leaving your employment within eight days as well. This obligation arises even if you do not have a permanent address in the Slovak Republic but you work full time for an employer who is based in the Slovak Republic or, if you are self-employed in the Slovak Republic. The policyholder is required to report to the insurance company any changes of the payer of health insurance within 8 days.

Each employee must be medically insured in a health insurance company, where he is assigned a number and insurance card which he must show when seeing a doctor. The health insurance company is required to deliver to the policyholder a health insurance card within five days of receipt of registration. 

The principle being  is that a person is insured in the state in which he is employed or where he is self-employed. This principle applies even if the person resides in another country, or if an employer who employs him is based in another Member State.

This means that:

• If the worker is employed in the Slovak Republic, but his employer is not based there, he must be insured in Slovakia (exception – workers with an E101 form). Premiums for these workers are submitted by his employer. 

• If the worker is employed in another Member State, but his employer is based in the Slovak Republic, the worker must be insured in the EU Member State where he works. The Slovak employer pays the contributions on belhalf of him in that Member State of the EU (exception - workers with an E101 form).

EuroInfo - Európsky preukaz zdravotného poistenia

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