Last Updated: Saturday, 10 May 2008 05:10

Health care in the Czech Republic is on very good professional and technological level, comparable to the most developed European states. Results of Czech doctors in some fields can be considered as top-ranking worldwide.

It is not only a coincidence that the Czech Republic is considered according to some statistics to be one of the most frequented destinations for medical tourists.

Attractiveness of the Czech health care can be illustrated as well by the fact that five times more insured persons travel from other EU member states to the Czech Republic than persons travelling for healthcare from the Czech Republic to the EU.

Limited financial possibilities of the local public health insurance system give rise to free capacity of Czech healthcare providers that could be provided to citizens of other states who are considering by any reason to receive healthcare abroad.

We as the Czech National Contact Point are ready to provide you with information that you need for making your decision whether to travel to the Czech Republic for your healthcare.

Entitlement to reimbursement or to additional refund of cost of healthcare provided in the Czech Republic

It is suitable to get information whether you are entitled to reimbursement or additional refund of costs before you travel for your healthcare to the Czech Republic. You should receive this information from your health insurance fund (or a national contact point in your country).

Generally said it is important whether you are coming from one of the EU member states, EEA, Switzerland or one of the states that concluded a social security agreement with the Czech Republic – This fact determines if you are entitled to reimbursement or additional refund. Further it is essential whether your healthcare in the Czech Republic was approved by your health insurance fund.

1. If you are coming from an EU member state where you are insuredyou are legally entitled to refund of costs for treatment in the Czech Republic.
   1. It is necessary to pay for your treatment upfront to the Czech healthcare provider
   2. You can claim a refund when you return to the state of insurance, up to the amount the treatment would have cost in your country under a public health insurance system.

i.      Before you travel to the Czech Republic you should also get information from your health insurance fund or a national contact point in your country whether the refund costs for some kind of treatment is or is not subject to prior authorization of your health insurance fund, or whether a recommendation of a specialist or fulfilment of other conditions is necessary.

ii.      You can as well ask your health insurance fund in advance how much it would refund you.

Insured from the following states are concerned:
EU member states:

 

1. If you are coming from an EU member state, EEA member state, Switzerland or from a state that concluded a social security agreement with the Czech Republic you can be treated under the same conditions that apply to a Czech insured person.

This means that the costs for your healthcare will be paid to a Czech healthcare provider by a Czech health insurance fund. Precondition for that is a previous consent of your health insurance fund with traveling for healthcare to the Czech Republic (S2 or E112 certificate).

Insured from the following states are concerned:
EU member states:

 

and in addition

3.    If you are not insured in an EU member state, EEA member state, Switzerland or in a state that concluded a social security agreement with the Czech Republic, there is no international guarantee for a reimbursement of healthcare or a refund of your costs.
However you could have such an entitlement based on your private insurance or you can be entitled to a refund in a certain amount according to the laws of the state of your insurance. If you are interested in traveling to the Czech Republic for healthcare you should ask your health insurance fund about possible refund entitlements.

Healthcare providing conditions in the Czech Republic

It is always advisable to contact the particular Czech healthcare provider and discuss in advance the providing of healthcare you are travelling to the Czech Republic for.

It is decisive from the provider’s point of view whether:

1.    You are traveling to the Czech Republic without a consent of your public health insurance fund (without an S2 or E112 certificate)
2.    You are traveling to the Czech Republic with a consent of your public health insurance fund (with an S2 or E112 certificate)
3.    You are insured in one of the EU, EEA member states, in Switzerland or in a state that concluded an international social security treatment with the Czech Republic

If you are not insured in any of these states the same price of healthcare as the one that applies to the Czech citizens cannot be guaranteed. The price in these cases depends on an approach of the provider.