Healthcare abroad

Planned treatment in the EU/EEA/Switzerland

Treatment in the EU, EEA countries or Switzerland will be approved if provided for by the Croatian mandatory health insurance system and if you cannot receive this treatment in Croatia within a medically justifiable time limit

Insured persons from one member state of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA—Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein) or Switzerland who are travelling to another member state’s territory for planned treatment have to request prior approval from their competent health insurance before they travel. 

Treatment approval

Treatment will be approved if it is provided for by the Croatian mandatory health insurance system and if you cannot receive this treatment in Croatia within a medically justifiable time limit, with your medical condition and possible course of the disease also being taken into account. 

The Croatian Health Insurance Fund (CHIF) will cover the costs of treatment only if the planned treatment was approved pursuant to a submitted request.

Submitting a request

You need to submit a request in writing in the CHIF’s regional or branch office in your place of residence or stay.

You will find a list of them here:

Contact information | CHIF


You need to enclose the following with your request:
 
  • Documentation which proves there are medical indications for the requested treatment (medical history and other medical records which show that there are indications for the requested health care),
  • Proof of an appointment made in some of the contractual healthcare institutions; that is, with a contractual private practice health care professional or contractual provider of orthopaedic and other medical aids in the Republic of Croatia,
  • Proof of an available appointment; that is, of a possible date of appointment with a health care provider in one of the EU or EEA member states or in Switzerland. 

In case of approved treatment in a contractual healthcare institution in the EU, EEA or Switzerland, a special form is issued pursuant to which you will use health care services (S2 certificate or E 112 form). In this case you do not cover the costs of treatment yourself, except for personal participation in the costs of the used health care (co-participation).