When traveling abroad, it is wise to remember unpleasant surprises. It is always good to have insurance in case of illness or accident. Did you know that in the European Union, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland your Czech public health insurance is valid?
On the basis of the European Health Insurance Card (Blue Health Insurance Card, “EHIC”), you are entitled to receive the health care required by your health condition for the duration of your stay under the same conditions as the local insured. For example, if something happened to you on vacation, the local medical facility would treat you as they would treat the local insured.
In fact, within the EU, you are entitled to medically necessary health care taking into account the nature of the benefits (illness) and the expected duration of your stay in another country. Care should be provided so that the patient does not have to return to the country of insurance earlier than originally intended.
You only pay for the treatment as much as the local insured would pay for it (regulatory fee, prescription fee, hospitalization, etc.). However, the care costs themselves will be billed to your Czech health insurance company. Last year, 45,000 Czech insured persons were treated abroad and health insurance companies paid a total of CZK 520 million for these treatments.
In addition to the EHIC, you can choose a supplementary commercial travel insurance, which may provide some additional benefits. When concluding a commercial travel insurance, carefully read the insurance terms and conditions.