According to the General Health Insurance Company of the Czech Republic (hereinafter “VZP”), the validity of the health insurance card is the same as the period, for which the person concerned was granted a temporary protection visa. This would end the automatic reimbursement of health insurance by the state and the validity of the card after 150 days from the granting of the temporary protection visa.

For this reason, it was held that the validity of the public health insurance card received by the asylum seekers on the basis of the grant of a temporary protection visa does not expire. It is therefore not necessary to request its replacement at client sites. Only its automatic payment by the state ends. All asylum-seekers from Ukraine, who reach the deadline of 150 days from the day their visa had been granted, are required to contact their health insurance company and provide proof of how their health insurance will be covered. If they continue to belong the group of so-called state-insured persons, the state will continue to pay for the insurance. However, health insurance may also be paid by the employer on behalf of the insured person on the basis of an employment contract, an agreement to complete a job with an income of more than CZK 10,000 or on the basis of a contract for work with an income of CZK 3,500 or more.

If the insurance is not paid for by the employer and the person does not provide the health insurance company with a certificate stating that he or she is a state-insured person, he or she must pay for the health insurance himself or herself.

If newcomers from Ukraine have started a business in the Czech Republic, they need to provide the health insurance company with a trade license and proof of registration with the tax office and start paying monthly health insurance premium of CZK 2,627 themselves.

If they do not belong into any of the above categories, they will be reclassified into the OBZP (person without taxable income) category, where they are required to pay themselves the minimum advance payment for health insurance, which for 2022 currently reaches CZK 2,187 per month. 

Reporting of the necessary data can be found on the websites of insurance companies.

Author: Roman Burnus, Valerie Kovářová