Health insurance

Persons covered by mandatory public health insurance are entitled to healthcare and related services in accordance with the Act on Health Insurance. Depending on the type of healthcare or service, public health insurance covers the costs either in full or partially.

As a general rule, mandatory public health insurance applies to every person who has permanent residence in Slovakia.

However, a person with permanent residence in Slovakia is not subject to mandatory public health insurance if they:

• are employed abroad and are covered by the public health insurance system of the country of employment;
• are self-employed abroad and are covered by the public health insurance system of that country;
• reside abroad for a long period (more than six consecutive months) and are covered by health insurance in the country of residence; or
• are a dependent family member of a person who is subject to the health insurance legislation of another country.

Mandatory public health insurance may also apply to persons without permanent residence in Slovakia, provided they are not subject to the public health insurance legislation of another EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland. This includes, in particular, persons who:

• are employed by an employer established or having a registered office or permanent establishment in Slovakia (with certain exceptions, such as some agreements on work performed outside an employment relationship), provided that the statutory conditions are met;
• are students from another EU/EEA Member State or from a third country studying at a school in Slovakia under an international treaty binding on the Slovak Republic;
• are dependent children with temporary residence in Slovakia, provided that at least one parent is covered by the Slovak public health insurance system; or
• are recipients of scholarships under eligible scholarship programmes for a period exceeding one month (see the Public Health Insurance for Scholarship Holders section). A list of eligible scholarship programmes is available on the website of the  Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of SR. 

Mandatory public health insurance begins on the day the relevant legal conditions are fulfilled (for example, the commencement of employment or the acquisition of permanent residence in Slovakia). The insured person is required to register with a Slovak public health insurance company within 8 days from the date on which the insurance arises.

With an individual health insurance you are entitled to the health care services stipulated in the agreement with the Health Insurance Provider. Commercial health insurance is provided in compliance with the Civil Code. The scope of the health services is stipulated individually either as basic health care available to foreigners who don't have access to the public health insurance, as a supplementary insurance (beyond a standard health care) or as a combination of both pf them.

Commercial health insurance is compulsory for those foreign residents who do not fall within the scope of the public health insurance.

This concerns:

• researchers who are not employed and perform activities upon a grant or fellowship, and
• students who are not EU/EEA/Swiss nationals, do not have permanent residency in the Slovak Republic, and do not study upon an international agreement binding upon the Slovak Republic.
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• A proof of health insurance is required also as a part of a temporary residence granting procedure.

Commercial health insurance can be obtained from any provider, not necessarily a Slovak one. In case it is obtained from a foreign insurance provider, the contract must stipulate its coverage on the territory of the Slovak Republic and it must be translated into Slovak language by an official sworn translator.

Information about commercial insurance companies in Slovakia is available on the Insurance agencies portal.

Health insurance of students/PhD students

Foreign students are obliged to have a health insurance coverage (public or individual) during their stay in the Slovakia in compliance with the provisions of the Act on the Residence of Foreigners.

Public health insurance of Slovak nationals pursuing full‑time higher education studies in Slovakia is paid by the state (if the case of PhD studies for a maximum of standard duration of a full‑time PhD degree programme, the PhD student could not have previously received a PhD degree and mustn't be more than 30 years old).

• If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national insured in another Member State you shall present the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to the health care provider in order to prove your entitlement to the medical treatment upon your health insurance in another EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland. See more information on EHIC.
• Students from the EU/EEA/Switzerland who are not medically insured in their home country or students from third countries, who are coming to Slovakia to study within a programme arising from an international treaty that is binding upon the Slovak Republic, are subject to the public health insurance, the Slovak Republic being the payer of such insurance. The student shall submit the necessary documents certifying his/her study at a higher education institution in the Slovak Republic and his/her international status – proved by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic – to the chosen health insurance provider within 8 days from the beginning of the study in Slovakia.
• If you are a third country national without a permanent residence in the Slovak Republic and do not study upon an international agreement binding upon the Slovak Republic you do not fall within the scope of the public health insurance. The commercial health insurance is necessary in yourr case since health insurance (public or commercial) is compulsory for any resident.

A proof of health insurance must be submitted to the foreign police in compliance with the duties related to the temporary residence granting procedure.

Health insurance of employees with a regular or irregular income

Any foreign person employed upon a work contract or a self‑employed person performing activities in Slovakia is subject to mandatory public health insurance in the Slovak Republic. The contributions are paid both by the employee and the employer (or self‑employed person) and deducted automatically by the employer. In general, the employee pays the contributions in the amount of 4% of the basis of assessment (usually equal to the gross wage) and the employer in the amount of 10%.

A person insured in another EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland must present the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to the health care provider in order to prove his/her entitlement to the medical treatment on the basis of this health insurance.

If the person does not fall within the scope of the public health insurance (for instance in the period between the entry into Slovakia and the beginning of employment), commercial health insurance is compulsory. A third country national is obliged to provide the foreign police in Slovakia with a proof of a concluded health insurance in compliance with the duties related to the temporary residence granting procedure.

Health insurance of researchers/university teachers without an employment contract

Researchers and teachers without an employment contract in Slovakia are usually not considered to be unemployed, but as individuals having an employment contract or self‑employment activities in another state. At the same time, they may move to Slovakia upon an invitation from a hosting organisation (e. g. per diems are paid) or with external funding (e. g. granted scholarship) of their activities.

Health insurance is mandatory when staying in Slovakia. Before leaving your country of origin, make sure to be covered by your current health insurance also on the territory of Slovakia, or take out new insurance before or after arrival in Slovakia. Third country nationals (outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland) are obliged to provide the foreign police in Slovakia with a proof of concluded health insurance with regard to the duties related to the temporary residence granting procedure.

Nationals of the EU/EEA Members States or Switzerland who are insured in their home country shall present the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to the health care provider for entitlement to the medical treatment in Slovakia.

Commercial health insurance is compulsory for everyone who does not fall within the scope of the public health insurance. This concerns researchers who are not employed/self‑employed (they perform activities e.g. upon awarded scholarship) on the territory of the Slovak Republic, do not have a permanent residence in the Slovak Republic and do not study upon an international agreement binding upon the Slovak Republic.