According to EU directives and regulations, every EU citizen must be registered with the obligatory health insurance system. However, if a citizen is moving outside the EU, it is possible to be taken out of the system for the length of the stay.

Once an employee begins his or her work relationship in the Czech Republic the employer is legally obligated to register that employee with the Czech health and social security systems. What I describe below applies to spouses, registered partners and children of EU citizens accompanying the employee on assignment in the Czech Republic.

Under Czech law, dependents are any family member mentioned above who DO NOT earn any income. Dependents are insured through the insurance of the economically active member of the family (the employee). Dependents are then insured in the country where the employee is insured. In the Czech Republic, dependents are registered with the Czech health system based on the registration of the economically active member of the family.

If the accompanying spouse earns income in another EU country, and therefore makes contributions in another EU country, it is possible to acquire the E106 (S1) form in that country.Based on this form, the health insurance company will issue special “yellow card”. This card allows the holder to enjoy full medical coverage equal to that of Czech citizens.

If dependent children are declared as students in the Czech Republic they are entitled to health insurance under their working parent. There is no charge for children’s health insurance and they enjoy full medical coverage equal to that of Czech citizens.

Private versus obligatory insurance

The most common confusion arises with private insurance systems many expats and their family members enjoy through their employers. The obligatory health insurance of the Czech Republic is a different insurance system and the private insurance cannot replace it.  

Please note it is strongly recommended to register dependents ASAP upon their arrival in the Czech Republic in order to avoid unnecessary difficulties in the event they need health assistance.

There are further rules on registration and exceptions apply. CheckPoint Relocations is happy to provide consultancy on this topic as well as to carry out registrations on your behalf.