HEALTHCARE & INSURANCE

Medical care in the Czech Republic is on a very good professional and technological level. Health care is provided by state-run and private medical facilities.

Medicines to relieve flu or a cold and other similar preparations can be purchased without a prescription in pharmacies. A prescription from a doctor is required to purchase other medicines.

Czech law requires anyone staying in the country to have health insurance, but not everyone qualifies to receive coverage from the state. A new amendment to the Foreigner’s Act took effect on August 2, 2021, requiring foreigners with long-term residence in the Czech Republic to buy a health insurance contract with the commercial branch of Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna (VZP), officially known as Pojišťovna VZP (PZVP). Commercial health insurance is a private contract between the insured person (the foreigner) and the insurance company. It is available to foreigners staying in the Czech Republic (or those applying for residence) who are not included in the public health insurance system.

For commercial health insurance qualify foreigners staying in the Czech Republic based on a long-term visa or a long-term residence permit with the purpose of business are not included in the public health insurance system and must buy commercial comprehensive (also called “contractual”) health insurance from PVZP.

That includes:

  • Foreigners with resident permit or long-termi visa (for business, study, family reunification)
  • Foreigners who are self-employed
  • Third-country nationals living in the Czech Republic three months or longer.

Every person who has working contract with the employer is covered with health insurance. Pople working on a freelance basis and have permanent residence then they need to arrange contractual insurance individually with a public health insurance provider.

A foreigner’s guide to private health insurance in the Czech Republic – Prague, Czech Republic (expats.cz)

Pojišťovna VZP offers 3 types of insurance program:

Foreigners‘ Basic Medical Insurance – Foreigners‘ basic medical insurance | Pojišťovna VZP, a.s. (pvzp.cz)

Foreigners´ Comprehensive Medical Insurance Plus Foreigners’ Comprehensive Medical Insurance Plus | Pojišťovna VZP, a.s. (pvzp.cz)

Foreigners´ Comprehensive Medical Insurance Exclusive – Foreigners’ Comprehensive Medical Insurance EXCLUSIVE | Pojišťovna VZP, a.s. (pvzp.cz)

Foreigners´ Comprehensive Medical Insurance Exclusive equates to the public health insurance of Czech citizens, it enables easy orientation both for medical facilities and for the insured themselves. Both parties, the patient and the medical facility, can be confident that the care will be fully covered by the insurance company, up to the amount of the agreed indemnity limit.

Since February 18, 2022, students who arrange Foreigners´ Comprehensive Medical Insurance EXCLUSIVE will have free medical expenses insurance in the Schengen area.

You can arrange Foreigners‘ Medical Insurance online or at Pojišťovna VZP, a. s. and VZP CR sales points.

Address in Hradec Králové:

Pojišťovna VZP, a.s.

Hořická 1710/19a

500 02   Hradec Králové

Hradec Králové | Pojišťovna VZP, a.s. (pvzp.cz)

You always need to contact firstly assistance service of your insurance company before going to the doctor. They are able to give you information which doctor you can visit, they guarantee you that the treatment is covered by the insurance company and they are able to find you a English speaking doctor. You can only visit a doctor who is contractor with your insurance company.  The assistance service is available nonstop, its staff is able to communicate in English and other languages.

Contacts for the assistance service can be found on your insurance card from P VZP: +420 272 099 943, email info@axa-assistance.cz.

Contracted doctors in our region can be find under this link:

https://www.pvzp.cz/cs/reseni-skod/vyhledavac-smluvnich-zdravotnickych-zarizeni-pojistovny-vzp-s/

University hospital in Hradec Králové belongs to one of the best in the Czech Republic. More info about the hospital – University Hospital Hradec Králové | Fakultní nemocnice Hradec Králové (fnhk.cz).

Emergency for adults is located at Fakultní nemocnice Hradec Králové on the ground floor of the pavilon Emergency – Pohotovost, building No. 50. Access is marked with special signs. Working hours is 24/7. The phone number for emergency service is +420 495 834 115. When using this service, it is necessary to buy a voucher for outpatient treatment priced 90,- CZK.

Children’s Emergency Department is located in the CENTRAL wing (gate A) of the pavilion of Children’s Clinic, ground floor, building no. 18. Access is marked with special signs.

Working hours: 24/7

The phone number for this emergency service is  +420 495 834 616,  except working days from 7:00 –15:00 when the number is +420 495 833 427.

Emergency Dental Care

Dental Emergency Department is located on the ground floor of the annexe of the Stomatological Clinic, building no. 11. Access is marked with special signs.

The phone number for this emergency service is 495 832 504.

Working hours:

  • Monday to Friday 16:00–21:30
  • Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays 8:00–21:30

There is also a reserved surgery of the Stomatological Clinic for injuries, bleeding, and swellings:

This surgery is intended only for patients with swellings, bleeding, and facial injuries including teeth. It does not treat patients if there is no danger in delay, i.e. tooth pains without swellings, loose fillings or crown jackets, and gum pains.

Working hours:   Daily 22:00–08:00

On the premises of the Faculty Hospital there is an Emergency Pharmacy opened for twenty four-hours a day – the Blue Robot Pharmacy in the building no. 10 (in the Pavilion of Internal Medicine). Access is marked with special signs, the entrance is via Pohotovost – Emergency.

The phone number for this emergency service is 495 834 308.

Working hours:

  • Monday to Friday: 18:00–7:00
  • Saturday to Sunday: 17:00–8:00
  • Public holidays: twenty-four hours

Outside the above-mentioned hours of emergency service, the Blue Robot Pharmacy works in the usual regim. On work days from 7:00 to 16:00 there is available also Hospital Pharmacy, building no. 20.

Source: Emergency Service | Fakultní nemocnice Hradec Králové (fnhk.cz)