In the last article from our professional counselling series, we will explain how does health insurance in the Czech Republic work. This article is designed for third-country nationals residing in CZ on at least a long-term visa.
For starters, we’d like to point out that as a foreigner residing in the territory of CZ for more than three months, you must have a health insurance subscription for the entire duration of your stay.
Public health insurance
If you have access to public health insurance, you may utilize health care the same way as Czech nationals. You may receive treatment in any hospital and from most doctors.
Who has access to public health insurance?
Apart from Czech nationals, the following categories of foreigners have access to public health insurance:
- Foreigners with permanent residence
- Foreigners without a permanent residence, employed under an employer who is registered or has permanent residence in the Czech Republic. This is only applicable if you have full-time employment / main employment (in Czech HPP or “Hlavní pracovní poměr”), agreement on performing work (in Czech DPČ or “Dohoda o pracovní činnosti”) with monthly earnings above CZK 4,500, or agreement on completing a job (in Czech DPP “Dohoda o provedení práce”) with monthly earnings above CZK 12,000.
- Some foreigners with a temporary residence permit for a family member of an EU citizen, but only if certain conditions are met.(it is always necessary to consult the specific situation directly with the health insurance company)
- Foreigners granted international protection
- Starting from 1 January 2024, foreigners with long-term residence permits under the age of 18
- Ukrainian refugees granted temporary protection**
- Other specific categories of foreigners
**If you are already present in the Czech Republic and there is a need to use healthcare services (e.g. due to an injury or an acute illness) before you have managed to arrange a temporary protection visa, you are entitled to access public health insurance for up to 60 days prior to being granted temporary protection status, pursuant to Section 7 of Act No. 65/2022 Coll.
If you are unsure whether you’re eligible for public health insurance, dial +420 252 543 846 to make an appointment for our social counselling, where we will be happy to provide you with free advice or refer you to the health insurance company.
I have access to public health insurance. Which health insurance companies can insure me?
There are 7 public health insurance companies. You can find them on this link (page is in the
Czech language only). The biggest and most well-known is the VZP (Všeobecná zdravotní
pojišťovna).
How to prove that I have valid public health insurance?
Your health insurance company will issue an insurance card for you (kartička pojištěnce) or a replacement document confirming your insurance, which you must always carry with you. You will present this card or proof of insurance at your medical check-up or examination. In addition to your identification details, the card also contains the telephone number of the insurance company’s helpline, which you can call if you have any problems or questions. The helpline employees speak Czech and English.
Which forms of medical care are covered by public health insurance?
Public health insurance covers various forms of medical care, including preventive medical examination at a general practitioner, gynecologist or dentist, some medicaments, some medical procedures related to pregnancy and birth, some medical supplies, and/or transfer to a hospital in case of serious health complications. For a complete list of medical care covered by the insurance, click here (page is in the Czech language only).
How to proceed if you have incurred a debt in public health insurance?
A debt in public health insurance must be addressed as soon as possible, as a penalty of 0.05% of the outstanding amount is charged for each day of delay. It is necessary to agree with the health insurance company on the method of payment (in most cases, the outstanding amount cannot be waived). If you are unable to pay the full amount at once, it is possible to arrange an instalment payment plan. Only after the full outstanding amount has been paid (not earlier) may you apply for a waiver of the penalty. The application must be submitted in writing. There is no legal entitlement to the waiver of penalties, which means that each case is assessed individually. It is strongly not recommended to ignore the debt, as the insurance company may eventually hand the case over to a bailiff for enforcement, and you may face debt enforcement (execution).
Complex commercial insurance
Under complex commercial insurance, you’re limited to those hospitals and doctors who’ve signed a contract with your selected commercial insurance company.
If you don’t find such hospitals and doctors, you may also register as a self-payer with them, i.e. pay for all medical procedures on the spot and then seek the coverage with your insurance company (in that case, it is necessary to agree on this with your insurance company in advance).
Who does complex commercial insurance concern?
If you do not fall under any of the categories of foreigners with access to public health insurance (e.g. access based on employment, permanent residency or, as of 1 January 2024 being a foreigner with a long-term residence permit under the age of 18), you will have to purchase commercial insurance.
At what insurance companies may I purchase commercial insurance?
Many insurance companies are offering commercial health insurance. Some of the best known are Pojišťovna VZP, a.s. (it is a commercial company owned by the public VZP), Maxima, ERGO, Axa Assistance, Slavia, Uniqa.
How to prove that I have purchased commercial health insurance?
Commercial health insurance companies will issue insuree cards, just like public health insurance companies. If you did not receive an insuree card, you’ll instead use a health insurance contract and proof of payment. Insuree card or health insurance contract with proof of payment both serve as proof that you have valid health insurance in the territory of the Czech Republic. You should always carry this proof with you in case you need medical assistance or are checked by Foreign Police.
On your insuree card or in your contract you’ll find your insurance company’s call center contact information, which you can dial in case you’ve got questions or are experiencing difficulties. You can usually communicate with them in multiple languages.
What health care is covered by commercial health insurance?
Commercial insurance’s health care scope depends on the limit of your insurance fee and the insurance contract. Even a more expensive complex commercial insurance is not equivalent to public health insurance, and the insurance contract usually contains a number of exclusions (i.e. cases not covered by the insurance, usually chronic illnesses or existing medical conditions).
As of September 20, 2023, the minimum coverage limit per insured event is required to be EUR 400 000 excluding the deductable part .
When purchasing commercial health insurance, it is important to carefully read and understand all terms and conditions.
CARE: In case you’ve purchased commercial health insurance and are expecting a baby, we advise you to make an appointment for our social counseling at +420 252 543 846. +420 252 543 846. Such a situation is very specific and best consulted with a professional.
How does health insurance work for clients who have transitioned from Temporary Protection to
“Special Long-Term Residence” (in Czech “zvláštní dlouhodobý pobyt ZDP”)?
Access to public health insurance for holders of Special Long-Term Residence (ZDP) continues or arises only in the case of employment with an employer based in the Czech Republic, provided that such employment gives rise to participation in public health insurance. In all other cases, it is necessary to arrange commercial health insurance. The new insurance regime takes effect only from the date the Special Long-Term Residence card is collected. Until that date, you remain covered under the Temporary Protection regime.
Transition of persons from a Temporary Protection visa to long-term residence in the Czech Republic
Health insurance covered by government
In some cases, a person’s (foreigner’s with permanent residence) access to public health insurance is covered by the government.
May be applicable if you:
- are receiving an old-age pension or disability pension
- are on maternity leave or parental leave
- are listed as a job applicant in the Labor Office register (in the case of EU citizens, this only applies if they are eligible to receive unemployment benefits)
- are a recognized refugee or an applicant for international protection
A detailed list of persons whose health insurance is covered by the government can be found here (the website is in Czech language only). However, the type of residence permit you have also plays a role in this list.
How to look for a doctor?
You should be registered at a general practitioner’s clinic, where you’ll go for a preventive health check-up or if you are feeling unwell. If necessary, your GP will refer you to see a medical specialist or issue you with a temporary sick leave (in Czech the so called “neschopenka”).
In case you have access to public health insurance, we recommend visiting the www.znamylekar.cz website, where you can search for GPs based on location, reviews, contracted insurance companies, and/or whether they currently register new patients. On this website, you can also search for GPs who can speak foreign languages and thus can provide assistance without an interpreter. For interpreting services, you may also employ the services of our intercultural workers.
In case you have purchased commercial health insurance, please contact your insurance company’s assistance center. They will help you find a contracted GP.
Pay special attention to whether your chosen GP has signed a contract with your health insurance company. Furthermore, always inform yourself whether the medical treatment you require is fully covered by your health insurance or whether you’ll have to pay a portion yourself. You may also visit a GP who isn’t contracted by your health insurance company. In case they receive you, you’ll have to cover the medical expense in cash or by an invoice.
If you are having trouble finding a GP, ask your health insurance company to send you a list of their contracted GPs.
Opting out of the public health insurance
Opting out of the Czech public health insurance system is only possible if you have been staying abroad for a long period of time, i.e. at least 6 months.
!ATTENTION! Different rules apply in EU countries.
In order to opt out, in addition to staying abroad for more than 6 months, it is also necessary to have valid insurance in the country where the insured is traveling for the entire duration of this stay and also to bring to the VZP branch a written statement of long-term stay in the country, which you can find here.
After eight days from the start of your stay abroad, you also need to hand in your insurance card. A person opt out from VZP does not have the obligation to pay insurance in the Czech Republic, but also loses the right to reimbursement of medical services from the public health insurance.
After returning from abroad, it is necessary to re-register with VZP and the obligation to pay insurance begins on the day of re-registration. It is also necessary to provide proof of health insurance abroad. Without this document, the insurance company may require you to pay outstanding insurance contributions for the entire period of your stay abroad.
ATTENTION! If the insured person returns earlier, and the condition of six months has not been met, the insured person must pay the insurance for the entire period of absence in the Czech Republic, including a possible penalty.
Complete information can be found directly on the VZP website here: https://www.vzp.cz/pojistenci/cestovani-a-pobyt-v-zahranici/dlouhodoby-pobyt-v-zahranici.
From 1 January 2024, the new rule of 6 months abroad also applies to holders of temporary
protection, and the possibility of opting out of VZP retrospectively has also been cancelled. Citizens of Ukraine can use the online form for opting out of VZP and re-register here.
Do You Have Further Questions?
Of course, every situation is individual, so we always recommend visiting our organization, where we can answer your questions in detail. Give us a call at +420 252 543 846, and book an appointment for a consultation.
We’d like to point out that all information is valid as of the article publication date. The information may change with time. You may always inquire about the current situation in a personal meeting with a social worker.
This article was created with the support of the Erasmus+ program (2024-1-CZ01-KA122-ADU-000240058).
“Funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the House of Foreign Cooperation. Neither the European Union nor the grant provider is responsible for them.”
