Medicine in Czechia for foreigners

Starting February 11, 2025, the state will only pay contributions for people with temporary protection for 90 days from the date it was granted – previously, it paid for 150 days. This is the main change that people often find out about after the fact: the protection status itself does not disappear, but the payer of contributions changes.

There are two exceptions, and they are important: the state pays indefinitely for children under 18 and for people over 65. If you are between 18 and 64, after 90 days you must inform your insurance company who will pay next – the law gives you 8 days to report the change of payer.

There are four options. Your employer pays for you – this is the easiest way. You pay yourself as an OSVČ (self-employed person): the minimum advance payment for health insurance in 2026 is 3,306 CZK/month. You belong to a privileged category for which the state pays (students, registered at the Labor Office, caring for a young child, disabled – all documented). Or you become OBZP (a person without taxable income) and pay 3,024 CZK/month yourself by the 8th of the following month.

And what people usually fear for nothing: the coverage in this case is full public health insurance, the same as for Czech citizens, not just emergency care. The mechanism of the 90 days is explained by ZP MV ČR, and the current amounts for 2026 can be found at VZP.

There are seven health insurance companies in the Czech Republic; the largest is VZP. The Ministry of Health maintains an up-to-date list – use that as your guide, not lists from forums.

Now about a pitfall that costs money: insurance company websites lag behind legislation. On the ZP MV ČR website, you can still see the OBZP amount of 2,808 CZK – this is the 2025 rate, not the current one. The current rate for 2026 is 3,024 CZK/month. Official sources don't always mean they are up-to-date: always check the publication date of the page. A useful reference for 2026 is the VZP payment overview, published on December 15, 2025.

You can switch to another insurance company once every 12 months and only on two dates – January 1 or July 1. You must submit your application no later than 3 months in advance: by March 31 (to switch on July 1) or by September 30 (to switch on January 1). Within 8 days after switching, you must inform your employer and return your old card.

A small detail that can ruin your day: from January 2026, VZP will not accept cash – only bank transfer, card, QR code, or postal order.

This is the most useful information that most patients don't know: it is your insurance company's responsibility to provide you with a general practitioner, not your personal problem. Section 40 of Act No. 48/1997 Coll. obliges the insurance company to ensure local and timely access to care for its insured persons.

A doctor can refuse only for three reasons: full capacity, staffing or technical reasons, or if your place of residence is too far away. Important: the refusal must be confirmed in writing. Ask for a written refusal – this will be your argument.

The algorithm is simple. You are refused → go to your insurance company for a list of contracted doctors → if all refuse, the insurance company is obliged to provide you with a specific doctor. This is not a request for a service, but the fulfillment of their legal duty – and this is how you should phrase it in your communication.

Access to healthcare in simple terms is explained on the state portal NZIP.

Starting January 1, 2026, white photocomposite fillings will be covered by insurance for adults as well. Previously, only amalgam fillings were free for adults, and you had to pay the full cost for white fillings. Now, the insurance company pays for a basic white filling – approximately 900 CZK according to the tariff. Aesthetic or multi-layered fillings will still require an additional payment: the insurance company pays the basic cost, and you pay the difference.

From July 1, 2026, amalgam will be effectively banned – due to mercury. It will only be used for medical reasons, so the "free gray filling" as a typical option has disappeared.

And a separate right worth remembering: dentists are obliged to inform you in advance about what the insurance covers and where there will be an additional charge. Ask about this before treatment begins, not after. Details of the reform can be found in the VZP overview.

There is an annual cap on medication co-payments — the ochranný limit (protection limit). In 2026, it will be as follows: adults — 5,000 Kč, children under 18 and people aged 65 and over — 1,000 Kč, people aged 70 and over and some people with disabilities — 500 Kč. The limit resets every January.

The main change in 2026 is that it will work online via eRecept. Previously, you had to wait for a quarterly refund of overpayments; now, as soon as the limit is reached, the co-payment is simply not charged — right at the pharmacy. You don't need to do anything special or ask for anything.

A nuance that causes people to miscalculate: only započitatelné doplatky (eligible co-payments) are counted towards the limit — co-payments for partially covered prescription drugs. Vitamins, dietary supplements, and over-the-counter products are not counted at all, no matter how much you spend on them. Conditions and details are on the VZP about protection limits page.

In case of a life threat, call 155 (ambulance) or 112 (European emergency number) — these are well-known emergency numbers. They are for truly critical conditions: loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, chest pain, serious injury.

If the condition is not critical, but you cannot wait until a regular appointment, the pohotovost — on-call service — is available. There is a regulační poplatek (regulatory fee) of 90 Kč for a visit, for both medical and dental services. It is not charged if the doctor decides to hospitalize you. Exempt from the fee are children from orphanages and people in material need.

A systemic change that may affect the schedules of specific locations: from January 1, 2026, insurance companies, not regions, will be responsible for providing pohotovost services. Therefore, check the operating hours of the nearest facility on your insurance company's website — especially at night, on weekends, and holidays.

It's simpler with children than with adults: for children under 18, the state pays insurance contributions indefinitely — the 90-day rule does not apply to them. The state also pays indefinitely for people aged 65 and over. Children also benefit from a reduced cap on medication co-payments — 1,000 Kč per year instead of 5,000 Kč.

Vaccinations in the Czech Republic are mandatory: Vyhláška č. 299/2010 Sb. (Decree No. 299/2010 Coll.) requires protection against nine diseases. This includes the Hexavakcína (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib, polio, hepatitis B) on a 2+1 schedule — the first dose from the 9th week of life, the second after 2 months, and a booster at 11–13 months; for premature babies — a 3+1 schedule. Plus MMR (measles, rubella, mumps): the first dose no earlier than the 13th month, and a booster at 5–6 years. BCG is given only to risk groups, not to all children.

There is no separate "Ukrainian" vaccination schedule — the general rule for all children in the Czech Republic applies. However, how vaccinations already received in Ukraine will be recognized and how the schedule will be completed is decided by the pediatrician based on the available documents: bring all your medical records and arrange for translation in advance. The current vaccination calendar is published by SZÚ.