Learn more in this short article to get an overview of health care system in the Slovak Republic.
How does health insurance work in Slovakia?
Most Slovaks and foreigners employed in Slovakia are enrolled in public health insurance plans. If you are not in such a plan, you need to have commercial health insurance.
You can be enrolled for public health insurance if you are:
- a citizen of the Slovak Republic
- a foreigner with a residence permit and an employment contract
- a self-employed foreigner
- the child of a foreigner enrolled in a public health insurance program
Who needs commercial health insurance?
You need commercial health insurance if you cannot be insured in a public health insurance program:
- if you are waiting for employment contract
- if you have a residence permit due to family reunification
- if you are a student from a country outside the European Union
- if you are waiting for a temporary residence permit
What is included in a commercial health insurance plan?
Urgent health care
Health care in case of an accident or sudden illness, averting imminent threats to health and/or life, treating sudden acute pain, stopping bleeding.
Comprehensive health care
Comprehensive treatment of injuries and diseases, prevention, monitoring of health condition, vaccination of children, pregnancy and postnatal care; treatment of diseases that originated prior to coming to Slovakia if the client was admitted to insurance with them and informed the insurance company about them in advance.
Commercial health insurance also covers urgent health care in 25 European Schengen Area states. The 25 Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Do you need urgent healthcare or complete health care?
The type of health insurance you need depends on the nature of your stay to Slovakia.
Urgent health care is suitable for:
- tourists
- short-term guests or visitors
- Slovak citizens with permanent residence abroad who are no longer covered by public health insurance
Complete healthcare is suitable for:
- employees
- students
- the spouse or children of a person without public coverage
- family members
- diplomats
- managers, executives
- lecturers, scientists
you can insure yourself online here.
What can you expect from the public health care system?
The public health care system provides comprehensive health care. All employees with permanent residence in Slovakia pay health insurance contributions. Such contributions are mandatory and are paid to the health insurance company of your choice. There are 3 health insurance companies in Slovakia – one publicly owned and two privately owned insurers. Union poisťovňa is one of the private insurance companies, which provides urgent and comprehensive healthcare accompanied by an interesting range of benefits.
If you can enroll in a public health insurance plan and want to be a part of the Union family, call us for more information.
