Brexit: information for citizens (current from 1 January 2021)
As the information on the subject is still updated, communicated and clarified within the EU, we ask you for regular follow-up of these disclosures and instructions.
Following intensive negotiations, the European Commission reached an agreement with the United Kingdom (hereinafter referred to as "UK') on the terms and conditions for its future cooperation with the European Union (hereinafter referred to as "EU') in the last days of 2020.
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will continue to apply after 1 January 2021 as shown in the specific articles of the Agreement. Under the new Agreement, the regime for providing health care is not changed for persons travelling to the UK for a short stay.
The "need for health care' does not limit its scope to acute treatment or first aid, but includes healthcare which should be provided so that the insured person does not have to return to the State of insurance before he/she intended and is thus dependent on the foreseeable duration of the person's stay in the country of treatment. However, please note that it is the doctor who decides whether the health care was needed.
For this reason, we would encourage all citizens travelling to the UK to take out commercial medical insurance.
EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance and will not cover any private health care or air transport home. EHIC can also not be used for planned healthcare, as this type of care requires a portable S2 document issued by the competent health insurance company.
If your EHIC has been lost or stolen during a visit to the UK, we recommend you contact the competent health insurance company in the Slovak Republic and ask for the issue of a special replacement certificate CRC (Provisional Replacement Certificate).
If you do not have EHIC or PRC, you may have to pay a fee of 150% of the national NHS rate (i.e. National Health Service).
If you have studied at an accredited higher education institute in the UK in the period up to and including 31 December 2020, and your study continues, you can use EHIC for medically needed healthcare until the study is completed.
Persons residing in the UK with a relationship to the Slovak Republic
1. Situation: I am staying on UK territory and have registered one of the EU forms before 1 January 2021 (portable document S1, E106,...).
If you have registered one of the EU forms in the UK territory and you are registered with the British Health Security System on the basis of this form, your situation does not change after 31 December 2020. On the basis of documents issued by the UK Party, you can continue to receive healthcare under the conditions applicable in the UK until the first interruption of your cross-border situation (i.e. until the event on the basis of which the form has been issued to you ends).
After this interruption, you are no longer entitled to re-enter the British system (unless you comply with the rules determined internally by the UK) and, in the event of receiving healthcare after this interruption, you will be treated as a person from another country without the right to reimbursement of the healthcare provided.
The re-entry to the British system is no longer entitled after the situation on the basis of which the form was issued has been restored (if there has been a previous interruption).
2. Situation: I was considered a person with a right to health care in the UK, but I had a "interruption'. For this reason, I am no longer entitled to further take-up of healthcare from the UK security system; doctors in the UK are demanding payment from me for any healthcare provided. What do I do?
If there has been an interruption after 31 December 2020 (i.e. you no longer fulfil the conditions for participation in the British system or the conditions under which your special replacement certificate may be used) or stay in the UK for more than six months, the return to the previous condition is no longer possible; you will be treated as a person from another country without the right to reimbursement of the healthcare provided.
In case your stay in the UK is long term, you must pay the immigration medical supplement included in the visa application. You can find out the approximate amount of the fee by means of a calculation available on the website http://www.immigration-health-surcharge.service.gov.uk/checker/type.-
You will only be able to enter the British health system if you comply with the conditions laid down by British legislation for foreigners.
If you qualify to participate in health insurance in Slovakia (permanent residence in Slovakia) and there is no reason to exempt you from the Slovak health insurance system (Art. 3 para. 2 of Act No. 580/2004) Z. z.) is created You participate in the Slovak health insurance system, the day on which the interruption occurred. You have an obligation to apply for public health insurance in the Slovak health insurance company and pay health insurance premiums.
In view of the fact that your Slovak health insurance is not possible to draw benefits from in the territory of the UK (except for sudden illness or life-threatening condition, where you are entitled to reimbursement of urgent care, but only up to the amount of payment in Slovakia) if you intend to stay in the territory of the UK, we recommend You can take out commercial medical expenses insurance.
3. Situation: I am staying in the UK and I have no EU form registered here; I am receiving healthcare on the basis of the Slovak EHIC.
After 31 December 2020, your EHIC continues to be valid in UK territory, but only if your stay is short-term (e.g. UK visit for business trips, tourist trips, visits to relatives and acquaintances, etc.).
If you visit the UK and become ill or require medical emergency during a short stay in the UK, you can use a valid EHIC issued by the Slovak Republic to access healthcare. In case of loss or theft of EHIC, as soon as possible ask your health insurance company in Slovakia to issue a CRC certificate valid for the UK (this validity will be specified in the Notes and Information section).
Based on this special replacement certificate valid for UK You will be provided with the necessary healthcare in the UK to the same extent as would be provided on the basis of the Slovak EHIC.
After the first interruption or extension of the period of temporary stay, such a person is treated in the same way as a person from another country who is not entitled to reimbursement of the healthcare provided. Return to the condition before interruption is not possible.
Persons residing in the territory of the Slovak Republic with a relationship to the UK
1. Situation: I am staying in the territory of Slovakia and I have registered one of the EU forms from the UK before 1 January 2021 (transferable document S1, E106,...).
If you have registered one of the EU forms in the territory of Slovakia and you are registered with the Slovak Health Insurance System on the basis of this form, nothing changes your situation after 31 December 2020. On the basis of the card issued by the Slovak health insurance company, you can continue to receive healthcare according to the conditions in force in the Slovak Republic until the first interruption of your cross-border situation (i.e. until the event on the basis of which your form was issued ends).
After this interruption you are no longer entitled to re-enter the Slovak system (unless you comply with the national rules for obtaining health insurance in the Slovak Republic) and in case of receiving healthcare after this interruption you will be treated as a person from another country outside the EU Member States.
The re-entry to the health insurance system is no longer entitled after the situation on the basis of which the form was issued has been restored (if there has been a previous interruption).
2. Situation: I am staying on the territory of the Slovak Republic and I do not have any EU form registered here; I am receiving healthcare based on British EHIC
After 31 December 2020, your EHIC throughout the EU (including Slovakia) continues to be valid if you stay in the Slovak Republic for a short time.
If you lose or are stolen from EHIC, as soon as possible request your UK health insurance provider to issue a British EHIC (or a replacement certificate valid for SR - you will follow the rules specified by the British party for this request).
Based on the special British EHIC or replacement certificate valid for Slovakia You will receive healthcare in Slovakia to the same extent as until 31 December 2020.
Last updated: 5 January 2021