Public health insurance in the Czech Republic is provided by health insurance companies. A health insurance company should accept anyone who meets the requirements for participation in the programme of public health insurance.

The largest health insurance company that has an agreement signed with almost all healthcare facilities in the country is:

111 VZP Insurance Company

The following are entitled to public health insurance:

• citizens of the Czech Republic

• foreign nationals with permanent residence in the Czech Republic

• employees whose employer has its headquarters in the Czech Republic

• family members of EU citizens employed in the Czech Republic

• citizens of third countries who formerly lived in an EU country and who participated there in public health insurance and their family members

• children under 18 who hold a valid long-term residence permit

All foreign nationals who are employed in the Czech Republic automatically participate in the system of public health insurance for the duration of employment. The employer is required to inform the health insurance company of the start and end of employment for an employee and to deduct on their behalf the payment for health insurance. Contributions are 13.5% of gross wages, where 4.5% is deducted from the wages of the employee and 9% is paid directly by the employer. Each insured person receives a card from the health insurance company.

If you are employed in the Czech Republic and need to arrange health insurance for your family members, you can and we will assist you in arranging it.

Foreign Nationals with Permanent Residence in the Czech Republic

Foreigners who have been granted permanent residence are covered by the public health insurance system. Insurance premiums are paid by the employer in the Czech Republic, by the state for state insured persons or a foreigner covers the insurance premium as a self-payer.

In case of foreigners under 18 with at least one of the parents holding a valid permanent residence permit, the child is enrolled into the public health insurance system and is fully covered by the state. Children born in the territory of the Czech Republic are enrolled into the public health insurance system if the application for a permanent residence permit was submitted within 60 days of his birth. When registering the child at the branch of the selected insurance company, the parent submits the confirmation of the application. Information about health insurance for children born in the territory of the Czech Republic can be found here.

Health Insurance for Children under 18

As of January 1, 2024, as a result of the amendment to the Act on the Residence of Foreigners, the conditions for child insurance in the Czech Republic have changed. Newly, public health insurance is compulsory for:

1) all foreigners under the age of 18 who have a valid long-term residence permit,

2) children born in the territory of the Czech Republic to a mother with a long-term residence permit in the territory of the Czech Republic, for whom an application for a long-term residence permit was submitted within a period of 60 days.

The responsibility and reporting obligation for registering a child for public health insurance rests with his/her legal representative.

The obligation to register for public health insurance depends on whether the child has a long-term residence permit and whether commercial health insurance for foreigners has been arranged as of January 1, 2024:

a) the child has a valid long-term residence permit and has valid commercial health insurance for foreigners, he/she becomes enrolled in the public health insurance the day after the end of commercial health insurance for foreigners. A child must be registered with the selected insurance company no later than 8 calendar days before the commercial insurance expires.

b) the child receives a long-term residence permit only after January 1, 2024, enrolment in the public health insurance is automatically established by receiving a long-term residence permit. In this case, the child must be registered with the selected insurance company within 8 calendar days after receiving the permit.

In order to register a child for public health insurance a legal representative needs to visit a branch of the chosen public health insurance company (the list is below) and submit:

• residence permit of a child/confirmation of submission of the application

• birth certificate of the child,

• legal representative's passport and residence permit,

• a document proving the termination of commercial insurance (not applicable for children born in the territory of CZ).

Information about health insurance for children born in the territory of the Czech Republic can be found here.

Health insurance payments

The payer of the insurance premium for a minor foreigner is his/her legal representative. The monthly insurance premium is 13.5% of the minimum wage for the given year and is thus the same as in the case of persons without taxable income (OBZP). As of January 1, 2024, the amount of the OBZP insurance premium is CZK 2,552.

A child will be a participant in the public health insurance only until reaching the age of 18 or until the end of the validity of the long-term residence. After reaching the age of 18, the resident must buy a commercial health insurance.

Overview of health insurance companies in the Czech Republic

- Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna České republiky

- Vojenská zdravotní pojišťovna České republiky

- Česká průmyslová zdravotní pojišťovna

- Oborová zdravotní pojišťovna zaměstnanců bank, pojišťoven a stavebnictví

- Zaměstnanecká pojišťovna Škoda

- Zdravotní pojišťovna ministerstva vnitra České republiky

- Revírní bratrská pokladna, zdravotní pojišťovna

More detailed information is also available at this link.