1. What an EU Citizen Needs to Prepare.
You can only be insured in one EU member state – European rules on the coordination of social security apply.
- Short-Term Stay, Tourist / Person Insured in Another EU Member State /
a) Health care based on the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) – apply for its issuance at your health insurance company (in your country of insurance).
You have access to healthcare provided by healthcare providers who have an agreement with health insurance companies, under the same conditions and at the same cost (in Slovakia, in most cases, healthcare is provided free of charge) as insured persons in Slovakia.
CAUTION: EHIC does not cover: healthcare deliberately sought abroad healthcare from non-contracted healthcare providers healthcare not covered by public health insurance co-payments for medicines, aids, dietary foods other expenses (travel expenses for unplanned return home) b) Commercial health insurance coverage – information on the extent of coverage will be provided by the commercial insurance company where you are insured.
- Long-Term Stay
- Employee
- The establishment of public health insurance based on the conclusion of an employment contract and after meeting the condition of reaching a minimum wage,
- A self-employed person performs, or is authorized to perform, independent gainful activity on the territory of the Slovak Republic (SZČO) under § 10b para. 1 letter b) and para. 2 and 3 of Act No. 580/2004 Coll. or has a license, authorization, permit to perform an activity under special laws,
- Other cases: the establishment of permanent residence in Slovakia – public health insurance arises on the day of obtaining permanent residence, receiving a pension from Slovakia if you are not insured in another EU country.
- What Awaits the Citizen Procedures and obligations when health insurance arises:
submission of an application to the health insurance company: as soon as possible, no later than 8 days from when the situation arises, free choice of health insurance – currently, these health insurance companies operate in Slovakia: Dôvera Health Insurance Company, Inc. Union Health Insurance Company, Inc. General Health Insurance Company, Inc.
submit completed application forms and documents:
- foreigner’s identification card or self-adhesive sticker in the passport,
- proof of employment with the amount of the agreed monthly salary/license, concession license (SZČO),
- birth number (if assigned),
approval of the application, after receiving the application, the health insurance company will inform you of its acceptance and the commencement of health insurance, after its approval, the health insurance company will issue you a health insurance card and, if requested, a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). CAUTION: You must report any changes (addresses, employment, name change, termination of insurance) to the health insurance company no later than 8 days. The health insurance company will provide you with information about contracted doctors, hospitals, and the scope of healthcare you are entitled to under your public health insurance. Don’t forget to inquire in advance (before visiting a doctor, healthcare facility, or specialist) as not all doctors have agreements with your health insurance company. In such a case, doctors, and healthcare providers may require full payment from you.
- Health Insurance Card after receiving the card, check if your details (name, date of birth) are correctly stated; if not, address it with your health insurance company, always carry the card with you as it will be required for every treatment as well as in the pharmacy, in case of loss, report it immediately to your health insurance company and request the issuance of a new card, monitor the validity of your health insurance card, as an invalid card will not be accepted by a doctor, hospital, pharmacy.
- Who Will Help the Citizens if They Cannot Manage? If you are insured in Slovakia, we recommend contacting your health insurance company.
The Office for Supervision of Healthcare oversees the provision of healthcare services and the activities of health insurance companies.
The Office for Supervision of Healthcare also fulfills the role of the National Contact Point for Cross-Border Healthcare in the Slovak Republic (NCP).
NCP provides insured persons with information:
in the field of rights and entitlements to cross-border healthcare, reimbursement of cross-border healthcare costs, and options for settling disputes under Slovak and European legislation, insured persons can obtain general and individual information upon request through NCP.
The portal also allows you to search for a specific healthcare provider in the Slovak Republic and obtain information about their professional focus, license, or permit, contact details, and barrier-free access.
- What Are the Sanctions for Non-Compliance with Obligations: The Office for Supervision of Healthcare can impose a fine of EUR 331 on the insured person if:
they do not report all changes to their health insurance company within 8 days, they do not inform their employer of the relevant health insurance company when health insurance arises, and when changing health insurance companies, they do not apply to the health insurance company within 8 days of the occurrence of facts establishing their entitlement to health insurance.
The health insurance company has the right to claim reimbursement of costs for providing:
healthcare against the insured person if it was provided to them demonstrably due to a violation of the treatment regimen, healthcare against the insured person if it was provided to them demonstrably due to the use of alcohol or other addictive substances; this does not apply if it is a minor insured person placed in a resocialization center for drug addicts and others based on a court decision, healthcare against a third party if the injury or other damage to health occurred to the insured person due to their culpable unlawful act, emergency care to the insured person for a person who did not submit an application and should have done so.