In Slovenia, public healthcare activities are carried out within a public healthcare network, and public healthcare institutions are also designed as service providers. These include primary healthcare centres, hospitals, social assistance institutions, pharmacies, and other institutions. When carrying out and planning their activities, they are obliged to provide conditions for fulfilling healthcare and tasks related to promoting, preserving, and restoring health. Public healthcare institutions are established by the state and municipalities.
Healthcare services can also be carried out by private healthcare providers, but only on the basis of a licence or a decision regarding entry into a register of private healthcare workers issued by the Ministry of Health. Private healthcare providers can be given a concession at the primary or secondary level, but such a concession is only granted if a public healthcare institute cannot provide sufficient access to healthcare services. At the primary level, it is granted by the municipality with the consent of the Ministry of Health, and at the secondary level it is granted by the Ministry of Health.
Health insurance provides adequate health and social security in times of illness or injury as it covers the cost of risk in cases when you get sick, injured or have any other medical needs. Its basic characteristic is that the rights of each individual or of dependant family members are related to the application for the insurance and the payment of the appropriate contribution. There are two types of health insurance payments: compulsory and voluntary.
Compulsory health insurance does not cover all the expenses that occur during treatment. Full coverage of costs is provided only for children, pupils and students who attend school regularly and for certain diseases and conditions. In other services it assures only a certain percentage of the cost. You can arrange your health insurance at the The Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia
Voluntary health insurance covers the difference between the full price and the part that is covered by the compulsory health insurance. You have to cover the insurance premium for supplementary health insurance by yourself and you can arrange your insurance at a health insurance company.
Three health insurance companies offer voluntary health insurance:
Prior to your arrival to Slovenia, in your home country make sure to arrange the European health insurance card or other corresponding documents enabling you to access medical services in Slovenia. With employment in Slovenia, your inclusion into the compulsory health insurance system will be based upon contributions paid out of your salary.
Foreign citizens, who are not insured under the Republic of Slovenia’s health insurance system, have the right to urgent or necessary medical services. Payment for those services is provided in accordance with European Law, international agreements or from the state budget.
Once insured through the compulsory Slovenian health insurance, you will receive a health insurance card, which you will need to use to identify yourself at healthcare institutions when in need of medical attention. All health insurance data is stored in the health insurance card. Usually, you need to make an appointment to see a doctor. As a rule, you visit the health centre closest to your residence.
Additional information is available on The Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia website.
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There are three pillars of the pension and disability insurance system in the Republic of Slovenia:
- compulsory pension and disability insurance
- compulsory and voluntary supplementary pension and disability insurance
- pension and disability insurance on the basis of personal pension savings accounts
The right to an old-age pension is based upon the insurance, and depends on the completed insurance period as well as reaching a certain age. If you have been working (and been insured) in more than one EU country, you are entitled to receive pension from each country in which your insurance period was longer than one year. Pensions will correspond to the insurance period completed in each country, allowing periods from different countries to be combined.
Additional information:
Maternity leave lasts 105 days and must be used in a single block of time in the form of complete absence from work. The mother receives maternity compensation calculated on the average salary paid during the previous twelve-month period. Fathers have a right to paternity leave up to 90 days. One of the parents has a right to child care leave in order to look after or care for a child for a period of 260 days immediately upon expiry of maternity leave. Mothers or fathers entitled to parental compensation, who ceased employment during the duration of parental leave, are covered by compulsory pension and disability insurance, compulsory health insurance and insurance against unemployment and for parental protection. The contribution of the insured person is paid by the recipient and the employer’s contribution by the Republic of Slovenia.
You can find additional information here.
Sometime in your life you may be in need of the support provided by social security benefits. If you are living in the country where you were born and satisfy the qualifying conditions, you will be entitled to receive support. But you also have the right to receive benefits if you are a national of any EU country and move to another part of the EU - more here
Social security is ensured by a number of measures in various areas, including aspects such as health, labour law, housing and education. An important aspect of social security is social assistance, under which a range of services and financial benefits are provided to groups and individuals who do not themselves have sufficient means of subsistence. Social justice, solidarity and equal opportunities underpin all the measures, which are aimed at ensuring social security and social inclusion for all residents of Slovenia.