Zdravotná poisťovňa (health insurance company) is a company for medical insurance. Everyone who legally lives or works in Slovakia must be insured with one of them to have access to doctors and medical treatment.
What types are there
- Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (VšZP) — the state-owned, largest one.
- Dôvera and Union — private ones.
You choose one insurance company and get an insured person's card (preukaz poistenca), which you show to the doctor and at the pharmacy. For an employed person, the employer pays the contributions; živnostníci (sole traders) and some others pay themselves. You can usually change your insurance company once a year during a specific period. If you have just arrived and are not yet employed, it is important to find out as soon as possible on what basis and where you are insured, so you do not end up without coverage.
