Czech Republic

Make an appointment with a general practitioner who has an agreement with the Czech health insurance system. Most general practitioners have such a contract. You can obtain doctors’ contact details from the local offices of the health insurance funds. Doctors’ practices are usually open on weekdays between 7:00 and 17:00. Present your valid European Health Insurance Card and an identity card at the appointment. If you do not have these documents with you, be prepared to pay the full cost of your treatment in cash.

The doctor may ask you to sign a Czech certificate of entitlement to healthcare (Potvrzení o nároku) based on your European Health Insurance Card. To complete the certificate, the doctor will ask how long you intend to stay in the Czech Republic and will ask you to choose one of the Czech health insurance funds. You are free to choose any of the funds, and the selected fund will cover your medical costs in the Czech Republic. By signing the certificate prepared by the doctor, you confirm the duration of your stay, your choice of fund, and that you have not travelled to the Czech Republic for the specific purpose of receiving treatment. Outside of office hours, an additional service fee may be charged.

You can see a specialist after receiving a referral from a general practitioner. However, you can see a paediatrician or a gynaecologist without a referral. If the doctor refers you for additional examinations, they should provide you with the necessary number of copies of the Czech certificate of entitlement to healthcare. You must present one copy to each healthcare provider performing the additional examinations.

You can see a dentist (zubni lekar, stomatolog) without a referral. Visiting a dentist works similarly to visiting a general practitioner. Additional charges may appply for urgent treatment or for treatments and materials that exceed the standard level (for example, teeth filler materials).

When a doctor prescribes you medicines, they will provide a copy of the Czech certificate of entitlement to healthcare along with the prescription. This certificate entitles you to a discount on medicines at the pharmacy. The level of reimbursement varies depending on the medicine.

Prescriptions in the Czech Republic are valid for 14 calendar days starting from the day after the date of issue. If the prescription is issued in an emergency department or as part of urgent medical care, you have only one day to collect the medicine – no later than the end of the first calendar day following the date of issue.

You can also buy medicines with a Finnish electronic prescription in almost all pharmacies in the Czech Republic. You can check which pharmacies accept Finnish electronic prescriptions on the Czech authorities’ website (in English). To purchase the medicine, show your passport or identity card at the pharmacy. Please note that there are some restrictions on the use of electronic prescriptions abroad. You can find a complete list of these restrictions on the Kanta.fi website. You can apply for reimbursement from Kela after purchasing the medicines.

A doctor’s referral is required for hospital treatment. In case of urgent illness, you can go directly to a hospital that has an agreement with a Czech health insurance fund. At the hospital, you must present your European Health Insurance Card and your identity card.

Ambulance transport is free of charge when you present your European Health Insurance Card at the treatment facility.

If you had to pay in cash for your treatment, the health insurance fund cannot reimburse you during your stay in the Czech Republic. In this case, you can apply for reimbursement from Kela afterwards.

If your illness requires you to use special transport when returning to Finland, you will be liable for the travel costs in their entirety. You are recommended to take out a travel insurance that covers these costs.

Remember to ensure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your healthcare provider with the patient records related to the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging the translation yourself.

Healthcare service providers operating in the Czech Republic must meet specific criteria (training, quality of care and equipment, hygiene standards, etc.). However, the country does not have a mandatory quality assurance system or official quality classification. If you are dissatisfied with the treatment you received in the Czech Republic, the instructions for complaints, available from the Czech Republic’s national point of contact, can help you proceed.

The Czech Republic has a statutory health insurance system based on compulsory membership in a health insurance fund. Joining a health insurance fund is mandatory, and the funds must accept all applicants who are eligible to join under the Constitution.

Eligible residents are free to choose their health insurance fund and healthcare providers. Pharmacies and diagnostic laboratories, as well as almost 90% of outpatient facilities, are privately owned.