Health insurance card, EHIC and other European regulations on health insurance
Health Insurance Card
Every insured person proves their participation in the health insurance by the health insurance card issued by their health insurance provider.
The insuree can be asked to present the card when visiting a doctor. When changing the health insurance company, the insuree must return the health insurance card to the issuing insurance company within 8 days.
However, the entitlement to the health care itself, which stems from health insurance, is not dependent on presenting the insured person's card but only on the existence of the insurance. Therefore, if yoy as a foreign national need to see a doctor and you have not yet been issued the card, it is sufficient to show a confirmation from the insurance company proving your insurance.
European Health Insurance Card
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives you access to the medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay (e.g. scholarship stay of students, researchers, business trips of employees), in any EU Member State, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in some countries) as people insured in that country. The EHIC will be issued on request by your national health insurance provider.
When using EHIC, the treatment of a person insured by the state social security system in any Member State of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, will be covered by a Slovak health insurance company to the same amount as a Slovak national. The chosen physician must have concluded a contract with at least one health insurance company. The EHIC ensures necessary medical treatment within the system of public health care, including treatment related to chronic diseases, if such need arises, to enable the holder to continue his/her stay without having to return home for the treatment. It does not cover any private healthcare or costs such as a return flight to your home country nor the costs if you are travelling for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment.
Watch the VIDEO on benefits of EHIC used in practice HERE
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national employed in the Slovak Republic but residing in another Member State you are entitled (together with yourr dependant family members) to a comprehensive health care (full coverage on the contrary to EHIC) in the country of residence as well as in Slovakia. You need to obtain the portable document S1 (former E106 form)from the health insurance authority in the Slovak Republic upon the submission of the home country residence card and copies of the Slovak work contract. After obtaining the S1 form, you should submit it to a health insurer in the country of your residence and get registered. If your family members live together with you, their entitlement to the health care will be reviewed according to the regulations of the health insurance company in the country of your residence.
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national working in Slovakia and your dependent family members live in another Member State you must apply for the S1 (former E109 form) at a selected Slovak health insurance company. This document must be submitted to a health insurance company in the country of residence of the dependent family members. Upon the S1 form, the dependent family members will be registered for health insurance in their home country and entitled to a comprehensive health care in that country while all expenses will be covered by the selected Slovak health insurance company. Their home health insurance company is in charge of issuing a European Health Insurance Card. The EHIC entitles them to obtain a necessary medical treatment in any EU/EEA Member State and Switzerland.
Dependants of EU/EEA/Swiss nationals residing in Slovakia should also register in a Slovak health insurance company and have the Slovak health insurance card. However, each case is treated individually because the terms vary from case to case. For details, it is highly recommended to contact your home health insurance company before arrival to Slovakia.