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Czech Republic Expat Health Insurance

A rather small landlocked country planted in the center of Europe, surrounded by Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Poland, the Czech Republic has a millennium of history to draw from that makes it one of the great cultural hot spots of the entire world. With art, music, stage performances and architecture so readily available and affordable, the Czech Republic has a booming tourism market with 6.3 million visitors in 2010. Tourism is not the only money-maker in the Czech Republic however, as the economic revolution that took hold in the 1990's that drastically increased privatization of industry has enjoyed remarkable success, and drawn in a great deal of foreign investment and business opportunity. Despite a young government, the Czech Republic is extremely well developed and its 10.3 million residents enjoy a high standard of living.

Czech Republic Healthcare and Insurance Concerns.

The Czech Republic's health care system is among the best in the world and on par with the rest of the European Union. Hospitals have access to all modern technologies, equipment, training and practices. In addition, the medical treatment is some of the most affordable in Europe due to the fact that cost is regulated by the government through the Ministry of Health for both state owned and privatized hospital facilities. With dozens of hospitals located throughout the country, ranging from small critical care facilities to specialist referral units, as well as teaching and university hospitals, there is virtually no situation that cannot be handled domestically. Further, specialty hospitals abound as the government has put great emphasis on the prevention of disease and early detection to ensure a high standard of health for all its citizens. As proof of their dedication to the cause, government even mandates that all residents have dental coverage.

One area of concern, oddly, is the unusually low wage earned by doctors practicing in the Czech Republic. This wage is often up to four times lower than other more expensive countries in Europe such as Great Britain and Germany and as there is always a demand for skilled physicians, many choose to leave the Czech Republic in search of higher pay. The result is that the number of physicians is decreasing and the remaining doctors are thus often overworked. The Czech Medical Chamber, a representative organization for all doctors practicing in the Czech Republic, is lobbying for a higher pay rate mandate from the government in an effort to stem the tide of doctors seeking to leave, which will hurt the overall medical system. Proposed reforms in this area are being considered by the state along with necessary tax changes to prevent the health care system from becoming insolvent.

Due to the strain put on doctors, home health is considered lacking, mostly due to the limited amount of time that doctors have making it almost impossible to visit home bound terminally ill patients or those suffering from severe old age. Home based, visiting nurses too are quite rare in the Czech Republic. This is a necessary consideration for some who may be considering retiring or returning to the Czech Republic in their late years.

Czech Republic Medical Insurance

Another positive effect of the privatization movement within the country involved its method of implementing a Czech Republic health insurance program. The government is strict in insisting that all residents have health care coverage, and having learned from many countries that came before them the fiscal dangers of a strictly state funded program, the Czech Republic has chosen to adopt a hybrid public/private system which is overseen by the government but self-operated and paid for directly by the tax-payers. This serves to take some of the political bureaucracy out of the system and make it available to all, regardless of income. In this case they have instituted the Vseobecna zdravotni pojistovna (sic), or in English the General Health Insurance Company (GHIC), which is a state agency but privately operated insurance company to provide equal medical coverage for all Czechs, paid for with their tax money.

With the cost of treatment currently quite affordable, most citizens and foreign residents choose GHIC Czech Republic medical insurance, however the fear of some is that if the cost of operating the system begins to increase, tax rates will increase sharply along with it. For this and other reasons, there is also an allowance for residents to purchase domestic health insurance plans which offer the same levels of coverage. This is a good thing because by law all persons living in or working for a Czech-licensed business must be covered by health insurance. While anyone on a residency permit or with citizenship qualifies for the GHIC coverage, some foreigners and temporary residents, such as those self-employed or who will not reside in the Czech Republic for a sufficient length of time do not qualify and must therefore purchase private insurance policies or have their status revoked. For this reason, many expatriates choose private health insurance. Further, in order to purchase private Czech Republic healthcare coverage from a domestic provider it is usually necessary to have a residency permit, this is in order to avoid non-residents taking advantage of the system.

In the case where someone does not qualify for the system, worldwide healthcare coverage make a lot of sense, as it meets the government requirement of mandatory coverage and has the advantage of global usability. This coverage will also prove beneficial to Czechs who frequently travel abroad whether on business or pleasure, as the public health care system is only applicable within the European Union, whereas worldwide coverage protects you anywhere you may go.

Czech Republic Travel Insurance Concerns

With excellent sanitation standards, the Czech Republic has no major concerns for water purity or waste disposal, nor the related diseases associated with poor sanitation. It is however strongly advised that all tourists, expatriates, and travelers visiting the Czech Republic ensure that all immunizations and booster shots for common communicable diseases be current. No additional vaccines are needed when traveling to the Czech Republic, and disease and medical accessibility should not be considered concerns for the average traveler.

Czech Republic Expat Health Insurance

Considering the legal requirement to have health coverage if relocating to the Czech Republic, expat health insurance is a wise purchase prior to arrival. This form of coverage will provide protection in case of the unforeseen and carries the same level of service and treatment as that available in the country. Global Health Insurance has Expat Health Insurance Experts who will assist you free of charge to find the health coverage plan that fits your needs, regardless of travel group size, length of stay, or budget and we can work with you globally and in the Czech Republic. Expat health insurance plans that Global Health Insurance works with ensure that no matter where you travel to, medical coverage is always available when the need arises.