Slovenia
In emergencies, call 112 for help.
Accessing care in Slovenia
With a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you are entitled to medically necessary treatment during a temporary stay in Slovenia. Medically necessary treatment refers to treatment that cannot wait until you return home. You may need such treatment, for example, in the event of a sudden illness or an accident.
You can also receive treatment for pregnancy, childbirth, or chronic conditions. If you have a medical condition that requires regular treatment during your stay abroad, contact a healthcare provider in advance to make the necessary arrangements for your care.
The European Health Insurance Card does not guarantee free treatment; you will pay the same cost for healthcare as local residents. We recommend carrying additional copies of your card with you. If you do not have a European Health Insurance Card, or if it is not accepted, you will have to pay for the treatment yourself. You can then apply for reimbursement from Kela.
You can receive treatment with the European Health Insurance Card in the public healthcare system or from private doctors who have a contract with the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (i.e. Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije, ZZZS).
You can receive emergency and essential care free of charge, as Slovenia’s mandatory health insurance fully covers the costs. You can find more information about the costs of healthcare services and medicines on the website of the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia.
Sudden illness in Slovenia
Doctor
See a general practitioner (zdravnik splošne medicine) at a health centre or a private doctor who has a contract with ZZZS. Present your European Health Insurance Card and your identity card. You can see a specialist after receiving a referral from a general practitioner. You can search for a healthcare provider using the search engine provided by the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia.
Dentist
Dental care is available at health centres or from dentists who have contracts with the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia. Present your European Health Insurance Card when you visit the dentist.
Medication
You can obtain medicines from pharmacies (lekarna) by presenting the doctor’s prescription and your European Health Insurance Card. The costs of medicinal products classified on the positive list are fully covered by compulsory health insurance. You can purchase medicines at any pharmacy that has an agreement with the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia. Medicines provided during hospitalisation are included in the treatment and do not incur additional costs.
In Slovenia, prescriptions are valid for 30 days. However, prescriptions for antimicrobial medicines to treat acute illnesses are valid for only 3 days.
You can find more information about prescription medicines in Slovenia on the website of the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia.
Hospital treatment
A general practitioner or specialist will usually provide you with a referral for hospital care. In an emergency, you can go straight to the first aid unit (urgenca) at the nearest hospital. At reception, show your European Health Insurance Card and your identity card. Emergency care is free of charge.
You do not have to pay for emergency ambulance transport if the attending physician confirms that urgent transport was needed.
If your illness requires you to use special transport when returning to Finland, you will be responsible for covering the full cost of travel. It is recommended that you take out travel insurance that will cover these costs.
Read also: Falling ill abroad.
Patient data
Remember to make sure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your health centre with the patient records concerning the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging that yourself.
Quality and safety of treatment in Slovenia
Doctors and dentists practicing in Slovenia belong to the Slovenian Medical Association. They are required to renew their doctor’s or dentist’s licence every seven years.
The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia, the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia, and professional associations supervise the quality and safety of healthcare service providers and professionals operating in Slovenia.
In the event of a treatment injury, the legislation and patient insurance of the country where you received treatment apply. If you are dissatisfied with the treatment you received, you should first try to resolve the matter with the treatment provider. The national contact point can help you find the appropriate authority if you wish to file a complaint.
Healthcare system in Slovenia
Slovenia has a social health insurance system with a single public insurer, the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije, ZZZS), providing universal compulsory health insurance. The Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia represents the interests of the insured population in negotiations concerning health service programmes and their implementation. As the main purchaser of health services, the Health Insurance Institute also plays a key role in setting the prices of these services.
Most of the care is provided by state-owned healthcare providers (hospitals, most specialised polyclinics, and highly specialised care units) and municipal healthcare providers. However, there is also an increasing number of private healthcare providers, particularly in primary and specialised care. More than half of the country’s dental care providers are private. If you use a service provider that does not have an agreement with the Health Insurance Institute, you must cover the costs yourself.
Useful websites
If you are planning to travel to Slovenia to use healthcare services, you should read our website for general information about seeking treatment abroad.
For questions about healthcare in Slovenia, please contact the Slovenian National Contact Point for cross-border healthcare.