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Health insurance

Health insurance in the Republic of Croatia is compulsory, meaning that every citizen of the Republic of Croatia must have a regulated compulsory health insurance.

The compulsory health insurance is provided by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) and is regulated by the Compulsory Health Insurance Act (Official Gazette, Nos. 80/13, 137/13, 98/19 and 33/23).

The health insurance and health care of foreigners is regulated by a special act – the Act on Health Insurance and Health Care of Foreigners in the Republic of Croatia (Official Gazette, No. 80/13, 15/18, 26/21 and 46/22).

Within the compulsory health insurance, the rights and obligations of compulsory health insurance are provided to all insured persons of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, based on the principles of reciprocity, solidarity and equality, in the manner and under the conditions laid down by the Regulation (EC) No. 883/04, Directive 2011/24/EU on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, the Compulsory Health Insurance Act and the regulations adopted on the basis of this Act and the special act.

The following persons are required to obtain compulsory health insurance:

  • Persons who are residents of the Republic of Croatia
  • Foreigners with approved permanent residence or long-term residence in the Republic of Croatia
  • Citizens of other Member States of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), as well as citizens of other countries with approved temporary residence in the Croatia, based on an employment contract, or based on economic or professional activities performed on the territory of the Republic of Croatia, if the conditions set out in special regulations governing the issue of residence and work of foreigners in Croatia are met, unless otherwise specified by regulations of the European Union or international treaties;
  • Citizens of other EU / EEA Member States / Switzerland / the UK with approved temporary residence in Croatia, if they are not compulsorily insured in one of the EU / EEA Member States / Switzerland, and
  • Citizens of a state that is not a Member State of the EU / EEA / Switzerland / the UK, or a contracting state, who are on temporary residence in the Republic of Croatia.

Application for health insurance is not mandatory if it is otherwise regulated by the EU regulations, international agreements or special acts.

Compulsory health insurance rights, including rights related to injuries at work and occupational diseases, cover:

  • The right to health care and
  • The right to monetary benefits.

The insured persons are obliged to participate in the costs of health care from compulsory health insurance, for services that are not fully insured at the expense of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.

In order to cover the costs of participation, insured persons may enter into a supplementary health insurance contract with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.

MORE – Compulsory health insurance | HZZO

 

Relevant links and contacts

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Where to apply for, change or cancel the compulsory health insurance?

Application, change or cancellation of the compulsory health insurance (hereinafter: the Application) may be submitted at any regional organizational unit of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO)

Contact | HZZO

2. What is the deadline for submitting the application?

Within eight days of the occurrence, change or termination of the circumstances on the basis of which the status in compulsory health insurance is acquired.

3. Who submits the application?

This depends on the individual insurance basis. For example, the application of a person who is employed on the territory of the Republic of Croatia is submitted by their employer.

On the other hand, a foreigner with approved temporary residence in Croatia whose right to compulsory health insurance or health care is not insured on another basis submits the application personally.

4. What forms are required for the application?

The application is conducted based on:

  • Form 1 – for insured person: Application, change or cancellation in the compulsory health insurance
  • Form 2 – for insured person, insured person family member: Application, change or cancellation in the compulsory health insurance

6. What does the right to health care from compulsory health insurance in Croatia cover?

It covers the right to:

  • Primary health care,
  • Specialist-consilium health care,
  • Hospital health care,
  • The right to medicines established by the basic and supplementary list of medicines of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund,
  • The right to dental aids established by the basic and supplementary list of dental aids of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund,
  • The right to orthopaedic and other aids established by the basic and supplementary list of orthopaedic and other aids of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, and
  • The right to health care in other EU / EEA Member States / Switzerland / the UK contracting States and third countries.

7. What does the right to monetary benefits from compulsory health insurance in Croatia cover?

It covers the right to:

  • Salary compensation during temporary disability or incapacity for work due to the use of health care or other circumstances,
  • Monetary compensation due to inability to perform jobs on the basis of which other receipts are realised from which other income is determined, in accordance with the provisions on compulsory insurance contributions,
  • Compensation for transport costs related to the use of health care from compulsory health insurance,
  • Compensation for accommodation for one of the child’s parents or caretakers

8. Is there a prescribed limit on the participation of insured persons in health care costs from compulsory health insurance?

Yes. The maximum amount of participation, per one issued invoice, can not exceed 120.26% of the budget base or 530.88 Euro.

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