Doplatok za lieky (co-payment for medicine) is the amount you pay at the pharmacy (lekáreň) with your own money, in addition to the part covered by health insurance. Insurance covers part of the cost for many medicines, so the patient pays the difference.
What you should know
- the amount of the co-payment depends on the specific medicine — some are completely free, some cost a noticeable amount;
- for the same active ingredient, there is often a cheaper alternative (generická náhrada);
- there is a protective limit (ochranný limit) for children, pensioners, and people with disabilities.
By law, the pharmacist must offer you the cheapest medicine with the same active ingredient — just ask for it at the checkout. If you belong to a privileged group, the insurance company automatically refunds co-payments above the quarterly limit. Always bring a prescription (recept) from your doctor. Prices for the same medicine can differ in different pharmacies, so it is sometimes worth comparing.