Understanding Health Insurance

• Health insurance provides health care and related services to the insured.
• It is regulated by the Law on Health Insurance, the Law on Health Insurance Companies, and the Law on Health Care.

Types of Health Insurance:

• Public health insurance provides health care services like vaccinations, treatments, preventative check-ups, hospitalizations, and medications.
• Health insurance companies provide it by law.
• Individual health insurance supplements public health insurance.
• Commercial insurance companies provide it based on insurance contracts.
• All EU residents must have health insurance.
• Individuals insured in one EU member state have the right to healthcare in every EU member state.
• They must show a European Health Insurance Card and follow the required procedures when dealing with insurance companies.

Public Health Insurance

• Insured parties are defined by the Law on Health Insurance as those required to pay insurance:
• Employees
• Employers with at least one employee
• Self-employed individuals such as tradespeople, lawyers, doctors, authors, and general partners
• The state covers the unemployed, children, etc.
• Other individuals who are voluntarily unemployed

Commencement and Termination of Health Insurance:

• For individuals with permanent residence in the Slovak Republic (SR):
  • Begins on the day of birth
  • Ends upon the death of the insured or when permanent residency in the Slovak Republic ends
• For individuals without permanent residency in the Slovak Republic:
  • Begins, for example, on the day employment starts or when studies in the Slovak Republic begin
  • Ends, for example, on the day employment ceases or when studies in the Slovak Republic end
• The insured is required to register with their chosen health insurance company within 8 days of the event occurring.
• They will receive a health insurance card, which must be returned when the insurance ends.
• An insured person can only change their health insurance company once per year, effective January 1st.

Public Health Insurance Premiums:

• Paid from the assessment base (e.g., from an employee's gross salary).
• The insurance rate is set as a percentage:
  • Employee: 4%
  • Employer: 10%
  • Self-employed: 14%