All children included in public health insurance from 2024. How do I transfer my kids?
Updated 2 January 2024
From 1 January 2024, children from outside of the EU with long-term residence permits in the Czech Republic move from commercial to public health insurance system. Unlike commercial insurance, the public system has no limits for medical coverage and does not exclude treatment of preconditions. So this is a great step forward.
You might have already heard of this significant change in Czech law. It comes after years of NGOs advocating for the rights of foreigners, and after a petition started by foreigners themselves, which has been finally heard by the Czech parliament.
This is no small change for the children and their parents. And it is mandatory. This overview explains the transition and its aftereffects and answers the most pressing questions.
- Who is the new rule for?
- What options will you have after 1 Jan 2024?
- When should I apply?
- How do I move my child to the public health insurance system?
- What happens if I register my child later?
- How much will it cost? How often will I have to pay?
+ Health insurance and residence permit renewal:
1] Who is the new rule for?
The law transfers all children younger than 18 years of age with a long-term residence permit out of the commercial health insurance system and into the public health insurance system.
Be aware – it will be mandatory for these children to be in this system, not a choice. Once their current commercial health insurance contract expires, it is your obligation to enroll your kids into the public system. The monthly fee will be 2 552 CZK as of 2024, it is the same for all children and the parents have to make sure to pay it regularly.
Only children carrying a long-term residence permit (typically for the purpose of reunification of a family) are eligible. Those carrying a visa for up to one year (typically for family purposes) or any EU-related residence permit are not subject to this change.
2] What options will you have after 1 Jan 2024?
You have a selection of 7 official health insurance companies to pick from. They are VZP, VOZP, ČPZP, OZP, ZP-Škoda, ZPMV, RBP. You can, but do not necessarily have to, register your kids at the same company where you are insured.
However, since this insurance package is state-controlled, the coverage is the same at all 7 companies.
What differs is their benefit system. Each company has a unique set of benefits to attract customers (more free check-ups at the dentist, contributions to medical equipment, etc.). Check the options and decide which benefits are the most useful for you.
3] When should I apply?
The deadline for registering your kid into the public health insurance system equals the expiration date of your child´s commercial insurance + 8 days. You will also have to prove to the new health insurance company that your kid has indeed had commercial health insurance since 1 January 2024.
Example: if your kid’s commercial health insurance ends on 30 April 2024, you will only have to register them starting on 1 May 2024, but you will have to provide the company with proof (typically an insurance contract) that the kid was insured between 1 January 2024 and 30 April 2024.
Note: If your child´s commercial insurance had already expired, then you have to register your child ASAP.
4] How do I move my child to the public health insurance system?
Once your child becomes eligible (once their current commercial health insurance contract expires), it will be your task as parents to register them into the public system. You will have 8 working days to do so. Once again, to do so is mandatory.
It’s easy. You simply contact the health insurance company of your choice and pay them a visit. You bring your child’s birth certificate (to prove that you are their parent. Birth certificates of countries other than the Czech Republic will need official Czech translation) + yours, as well as your child’s, valid long-term residence permits.
The clerk will fill up a form with you and give you a paper confirming that you have successfully enrolled your child into the public health insurance system. This paper will be replaced by an insurance card (typically within three weeks). The card will be delivered to your Czech home address.
Note: Your kid will receive the green health insurance card. This card serves as proof that your child has health insurance. Carry it with you at all times (older, responsible kids are allowed to carry it themselves). Also, be careful, this card is only valid in the Czech Republic. If you go abroad, you have to obtain travel insurance for your kids.
5] What happens if I register my child later?
If you miss the deadline by a few days, it is not a big issue.
If you don’t act for more than a month after your child becomes eligible (= after their current commercial health insurance contract expires), you might end up in trouble. The presence of your child in the public system is mandatory and if you don’t register them there in time, you will start collecting debt from the unpaid months. Also, your child won’t be covered, which is problematic from both legal and medical perspectives.
6] How much will it cost? How often will I have to pay?
The cost is 2 552 CZK/month
As for the frequency of payments, parents will pay monthly and for each child separately. It is expected that these payments will be made by bank transfers.
And now, to the questions concerning health insurance and residence permit renewal:
7] How to deal with the renewal of a residence permit?
If you are about to start a process of renewal of your child’s residence permit and you have provided them with commercial health insurance expiring only after the given date of 1 January 2024, you do not have to think about this change of law until your commercial health insurance expires.
Example: if your kid’s commercial health insurance ends on 30 November 2025, you will only have to register them at the insurance company starting on 1 December 2025. You will, however, have to prove to the new health insurance company that your kid has indeed had commercial health insurance since January 2024.
Also since the registration of your kid in the public health insurance system is mandatory after the expiry date of their current commercial health insurance, to renew the residence permit now, the Ministry of Interior does not demand proof of public health insurance for any time in the year 2024/25 after the given commercial health insurance expires (Please, this is information from the year 2023, we will update it soon). You can just let the commercial insurance expire in the year 2024/25, then re-register your kid into the public system and start paying. At the MoI, they will only want to see the proof of commercial insurance (if it is still running), no the public one.
Note: It’s not yet clear if you’ll have to deliver any proof of providing public health insurance to MoI subsequently in the year 2024/25 in the end, but in any case, it has no impact on the renewal of your child’s residence permit. The residence permit will be renewed for the period, for which your kid is eligible, based on other criteria (up to two years). We are monitoring this situation and should be able to provide more information soon.
One last recommendation from us:
Take advantage of the full access to public health insurance and ask your chosen insurance company for a list of pediatricians or any other doctors you have been struggling to find for your child. Read our guide on how to find a doctor.
Fingers crossed and have as smooth a transition as possible!
Photo courtesy of canva.com
