Health insurance during a temporary stay in Slovenia / EU

Before each travel abroad, artists and cultural workers are advised to find out which benefits are covered by their health insurance abroad and, if necessary, take out additional international health insurance. Health insurance abroad is one of the most important matters to take care of before starting work abroad. Third-country nationals should also inquire whether they need mandatory travel health insurance to obtain a visa.

The same applies to cultural organizations. Whether they’re visiting or hosting, they should check which adequate insurances and documents they need for the artists and/or cultural workers they collaborate with.

If you wish to study, receive vocational training, or participate in other forms of education in Slovenia, you will need a residence permit. Based on this, you will be able to arrange appropriate health insurance.

Content

Which EU country is responsible for your social security and health insurance?
Which institution is responsible for health insurance in Slovenia?
What documents do I need?
What is the European Health Insurance Card?
How can I get a European Health Insurance Card?
What is an A1 certificate?
Which health insurance is adequate?
Useful links

Which EU country is responsible for your social security and health insurance?

The use of healthcare services during a temporary or permanent stay in EU Member States, countries of the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, and the United Kingdom is governed by the Community acquis.

Which EU country is responsible for your social security and health insurance depends on your work status and residence (not on your citizenship). Find out which social security system applies to you. You can access more information about social security abroad, including employment in different countries, on the Your Europe website.

When you live or work in another EU country, you are guaranteed health and pension insurance either in your home country or in the host country. You should make sure that you are covered even when you move to another country.

You can find information about your health insurance rights at your national contact point. In Slovenia, the tasks of the National Contact Point for Cross-border Healthcare are carried out by the ZZZS (website only in Slovene).

Which institution is responsible for health insurance in Slovenia?

In Slovenia, the institution responsible for regulating health insurance is the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS, website only in Slovene). It provides general information about treatment abroad by phone, as well as web-based content about treatment abroad, the healthcare system in Slovenia, and treatment of foreign patients in Slovenia.

Persons liable to pay the mandatory health contribution are persons insured on various legal grounds. E.g. persons employed in Slovenia; persons employed abroad who work in Slovenia; persons who are simultaneously employed full-time in another EU Member State; persons with permanent residence in Slovenia who are employed by a foreign employer and are not insured by a foreign insurance carrier; sole proprietors; persons acting in a self-employed capacity who are self-employed in another EU Member State, etc.

For further information about social security and insurance, see SPOT portal.

What documents do I need?

Employees and self-employed persons who work in culture and who wish to reside and work in the EU (including Slovenia) for a limited period of time, need the following documents:

• A European Health Insurance Card from compulsory health insurance, which they will need to visit a doctor.
• An A1 certificate proving that they pay compulsory social insurance in their country of residence. Any competent authorities, employers or organizers of events abroad will require this form.
• Additional international health insurance for special treatment (check with your insurance company to determine if you need one!).

In Slovenia, you can claim necessary medical services with a European Health Insurance Card, another relevant certificate or the health insurance card that is issued to every person with mandatory health insurance in Slovenia. With a European card or a relevant certificate, you can claim emergency or necessary medical services directly from doctors and medical institutions that are part of the public (national) healthcare network.

To secure a residence permit or register their residence, foreigners are required to obtain a tax number for the purposes of compulsory social insurance. The Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia oversees the processes of enrolling in the tax register and obtaining tax numbers, which are explained in greater detail on its website.

What is the European Health Insurance Card?

If an EU citizen suddenly falls ill during a temporary stay in another EU country (e.g. on a business trip, during their studies, while on vacation), they are entitled to all emergency medical services, and have the same rights to medical care as insured persons in the country they are visiting. You should therefore never travel abroad without a European Health Insurance Card, which is proof that you are insured in an EU country.

How can I get a European Health Insurance Card?

Some countries issue the European Health Insurance Card with their national healthcare card.

In Slovenia, you must apply for a European Health Insurance Card separately. It is available free of charge but must be obtained through an application submitted to the ZZZS before traveling abroad. During a temporary stay abroad, the European card grants you the right to healthcare services under the same conditions that apply to persons insured in accordance with the legislation of the country you are visiting. It is used in the EU Member States, the EEA, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. In these countries, you can use the European card to claim medical services from doctors and medical institutions that are part of the public (national) healthcare network.

The procedure and the extent of claiming medical services during a temporary stay abroad vary depending on the country in which you claim medical services. You can find more information on the ZZZS website (only in Slovene). For further information about social security and insurance, see SPOT portal.

What is an A1 certificate?

The A1 certificate is a document which confirms that a *posted worker or self-employed person or foreign self-employed person who is providing a cross-border service in another EU country or in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Norway is still subject to the social security regulations of the EU Member State in which the employer or foreign employer or the self-employed person or foreign self-employed person is based. The A1 certificate is also required for artists and cultural workers.

In Slovenia, the A1 certificate is obtained from the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (the ZZZS). With the A1 certificate, a worker in another EU country, the EEA or Switzerland proves that they are included in the Slovenian social insurance system while posted abroad. You can check the validity of your A1 certificate on the ZZZS website (only in Slovene); see also SPOT Portal.

Information on the A1 certificate: Learn more

*A posted person endeavours to perform a specific task (work) for a specific period of time in another country.

Which health insurance is adequate?

For third-country nationals, adequate health insurance constitutes one of the conditions for obtaining a temporary residence permit in Slovenia.

Adequate health insurance is one that covers at least emergency medical services on the territory of Slovenia (emergency medical assistance and emergency treatment), and is valid during the administrative unit’s decision-making process regarding the issuance of the residence permit, as well as during the period of validity of the residence permit.

The condition of adequate insurance is demonstrated by a certificate of health insurance, which is valid during the decision-making process regarding the issuance of the permit, and until the inclusion in the compulsory health insurance or the entry into force of another adquate health insurance.

More information on which health insurance is right for you.

If the purpose of your stay in Slovenia is employment or work, your employer must register you for compulsory social insurance with the M-1 form, which also includes health insurance. The employer is obliged to do this on the day of your entry into service according to the employment contract (for a fixed or indefinite period). Additional information is available on the SPOT (Slovenian Business Point) website.

Useful links

• EFA / PEARLE*: Cookbook Social security in an international context (.pdf) and infographics about social security.
• Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS).
• Info.tujci: governmental portal with information for foreigners.
• EURES: European cooperation network of employment services, designed to facilitate the free movement of workers.
• SOLVIT: Problem-solving network that deals with problems between individuals or companies and the authorities in another country, in cases where there is a possible misapplication of EU law.
• Your Europe is an EU advice service for the public, provided by the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS). It consists of a team of independent lawyers who cover all EU official languages and are familiar both with EU law and national laws in all EU countries. They provide free and personalised advice, clarify the European law that applies, and explain how EU rights can be exercised.
• Nacionalni sistem SPOT, Slovenska poslovna točka ponuja celovit sistem podpornih in brezplačnih storitev države za poslovne subjekte. Pod enotno znamko
• SPOT portal: The national SPOT system offers a comprehensive system of support and free state services for business entities. Institutions that provide assistance, information and advice to business entities are united under the single brand »SPOT«.
  

  ---

  This article was written in cooperation with PIP Institute.