Mandatory health insurance

Mandatory health insurance is provided by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, and all persons with permanent residence in Croatia are obliged to obtain this insurance

Mandatory health insurance provides all insured persons with the rights and obligations under the mandatory health insurance based on the principles of reciprocity, solidarity and equality.

Persons required to obtain health insurance are as follows:
 
  • All persons with permanent residence in Croatia
  • Foreign nationals with an approved permanent stay in Croatia
  • Foreign nationals with an approved temporary stay in Croatia if an international treaty or a special piece of legislation does not state otherwise
  • Nationals of other European Union (EU) Member States, as well as the citizens of other states with approved temporary stay in Croatia, on the basis of the employment with the employer headquartered in Croatia, i.e., on the basis of performing economic or professional activity, providing that the conditions of special regulations governing the issue of residence and work of aliens in Croatia have been met, unless an international treaty or EU regulations do not state otherwise.

Mandatory health insurance is provided by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (CHIF).

Rights under mandatory health insurance

Rights under mandatory health insurance in Croatia include the right to health care services and the right to financial compensation.

The right to health care includes the right to:
 
  • Primary health care,
  • Specialist-consultative health care, 
  • Hospital health care, 
  • Medications determined by the CHIF’s primary and supplementary list of medications, 
  • Dental prostheses determined by the CHIF’s primary and supplementary list of dental prostheses,
  • Orthopaedic and other medical aids determined by the basic and supplementary orthopaedic and other medical aids list of the CHIF,
  • The right to health care in other member states and third countries.
The right to financial compensation includes the right to:
 
  • Salary compensation during the period of temporary incapacity to work; that is, incapacity to work due to using health care services
  • Financial compensation due to incapacity to carry out work for which other revenue is received, on the basis of which other income is determined, in accordance with the regulations on mandatory insurance contributions
  • Compensation for travel expenses related to using health care services covered by mandatory health insurance
  • Compensation for accommodation expenses for one parent or guardian of the child undergoing hospital treatment, for the period of that treatment.