Do You Have to Pay for Public Health Insurance in Slovakia Yourself? Update Your Payment Schedule in February 2021.

2021, 3 Feb / Author: Xenia K.

Proofread by: Sherry R. / www.iproofing.net

We wish that you stay well in 2021 and never need any medical treatment!

The bad news is that your health conditions have no bearing on your obligation to pay for public health insurance in Slovakia, if you have to do so.

Let´s start with some basics.

If you are employed, the health insurance agenda is managed by your employer, so you don´t need to do much. Just inform your employer which Public Health Insurance Company you are registered with.

But, in case you:

run a small business based on a trade licence
own a limited company in Slovakia (and you are not employed there or anywhere else)
are self employed in any other way (expert, artist, interpreter etc)
are voluntarily unemployed (sabbatical, career break etc)

you are obliged to pay for public health insurance in Slovakia yourself.

Firstly you need to register in any one of the following Public Health Insurance Companies:

Vseobecna zdravotna poistovna
Union
Dovera

You will receive a plastic insurance member card which you will need to present at a medical facility each time you are in need of treatment.

Please note that there are many private medical facilities in Slovakia, where the treatment needs to be paid in full.

Upon registering, you will also be given payment details by your health insurance company, so that you can set up a payment schedule.

There is always much discussion on which public health insurance company in Slovakia is the best.

Well, if we may suggest something:

Sign up to any public health insurance company at the beginning, then take your time and find yourself a medical doctor who speaks languages a little, resides within reasonable distance of either your home or your place of work, and who is available within reasonable opening hours. Ask your fellow foreigners to share their experiences and recommendations.

Then, ask your medical doctor which insurance company does she/he recommend, and why. She/he might tend to recommend the one, she/he has a good working relationship with, which is always worth considering.

If you need to re-register and change your public health insurance company, it can be done easily each year until 30 September. You simply submit an application for registering in a new insurance company and they do everything necessary. Your new insurance will become valid on 1 January of the following year.

Once you have registered, you need to set up a payment schedule. Public health insurance is due on 8th of each month for previous month.

You will start paying minimum fees. The fee may be changed every year in January. We recommend that you set up a standing payment order with your bank and mark 8 January of the following year as the last day of the payment series. You will then review the new rules during January next year and set up a new payment calendar starting from February onwards.

The minimum fee for public health insurance for 2021 will be 76,44€ (there is an exception for handicapped people, who need to pay 38,22€).

First payment for January 2021 is due on 8 February 2021.

All of the above applies if you have a valid residence permit in Slovakia.

If you are in need of health insurance to support your residence permit procedure, this is a different topic, which we will cover in some of our next blogposts.

If you need any assistance, get in touch. We are happy to help.