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For tourists from the EU, free healthcare in Croatia during the season

by AI | 16.Jul 2024 | Europe in brief AI

ZAGREB – For tourists from the EU and domestic tourists, this summer, for the first time, additional teams have been provided in health centers, contracted with the Croatian Health Insurance […]

Foreign tourists from the European Union area as well as domestic tourists, insured by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO), will be able to receive health services free of charge from additional teams in health centers during the summer, where a doctor will be able to issue them prescriptions and referrals. photo: Hina/Sara Margetić

ZAGREB – For tourists from the EU and domestic tourists, this summer, for the first time, additional teams have been provided in health centers, contracted with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO), where everyone will be able to receive health services, prescriptions, and referrals covered by their health insurance, currently at 36 locations.

Counties and health centers have so far provided staff for 36 teams, out of a total of 51 contracted teams with HZZO at 51 locations, and they are expected to operate until September 30.

According to the director of the Health Center of the Split-Dalmatia County, Marko Rađa, it is known that currently tourist clinics are operating in Supetar, Split, Trogir, and Makarska, while this weekend a clinic should start operating in Hvar.

For all domestic tourists, HZZO health cards apply, and for foreigners from the EU and other countries like Iceland, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the European Health Insurance Card applies.

Tourist clinics were not previously contracted with HZZO and services were charged. It is expected that this will reduce crowds and pressure on contracted clinics, where tourists went to avoid paying for services.

For example, in Istria, tourists often seek medical help, which often creates large crowds at the Emergency Hospital Admission of the Pula hospital.

“At the peak of the season, almost 600,000 tourists vacation in Istria, which represents a significant burden on the health system, both for Istrian health centers and for the General Hospital Pula,” said the director of Istrian health centers, Dr. Nikola Žgrablić.

Tourist clinics existed before but charged for services, so everyone went where they didn’t have to pay, which was family doctors. (July 15, 2024)