Health Insurance

Foreign nationals in the Czech Republic are required to have valid health insurance. There are two types of health insurance: public and commercial.

Public health insurance in the Czech Republic is provided through health insurance companies, which, in addition to the use of the company’s name also includes a numerical identification code. The health insurance company is required to accept each person who meets the requirements for participation in the public health insurance program.

The following is the largest health insurance company in the Czech Republic:

• 111 Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna ČR (VZP ČR)

Other health insurance companies, which are referred to as “employee insurance companies”, are the following:

• 201 Vojenská zdravotní pojišťovna České republiky (VoZP ČR)
• 205 Česká průmyslová zdravotní pojišťovna (ČPZP)
• 207 Oborová zdravotní pojišťovna zaměstnanců bank, pojišťoven a stavebnictví (OZP)
• 209 Zaměstnanecká pojišťovna Škoda (ZPŠ)
• 211 Zdravotní pojišťovna ministerstva vnitra ČR (ZPMV ČR)
• 213 Revírní bratrská pokladna, zdravotní pojišťovna (RBP)

The following people have a legal right to public health insurance:

• Anyone with permanent residence status in the Czech Republic
• Employees whose employer is based in the Czech Republic
• Family members of EU citizens who are employed in the Czech Republic
• Non-EU citizens who previously resided in another EU country and were registered for public health insurance there, and their family members.

This insurance covers necessary health care and emergency treatment in public health clinics. doctors' surgeries and hospitals. Care covered or partially covered by this insurance includes:

• outpatient and inpatient (hospital) medical care
• accident and emergency services
• preventative care
• provision of medication and medical equipment
• spa care, care in specialist paediatric medical facilities and sanatoria,
• pracovně-lékařské služby etc.

Employees are automatically covered by public health insurance for the duration of their employment. The employer is obliged to inform the health insurance company about the commencement (and termination) of employment. The employer then pays regular insurance premiums on the employee's behalf. 1/3 of this premium is deducted from the employee's gross salary. The health insurance company issues a card for the policyholder.

When you first arrive in the Czech Republic and are not yet registered for public health insurance (or not yet employed) you must have alternative (travel) health insurance, either from a commercial insurance company or the European Health Insurance Card EHIC.

Anyone who does not have the right to public health insurance in the Czech Republic must have commercial health insurance while resident in this country.