Refused healthcare
Hi everyone, I’m a Slovak who moved to Prague on May 1st. I have a Czech employer who properly registered me with the insurance system as of May 1st and pays my health insurance through VZP ČR. Unfortunately, during my very first week here I managed to get a urinary tract infection.
On Sunday, May 9th, I went to the emergency clinic in Prague 4 and politely explained that I’m Slovak, but insured in the Czech Republic, so my Slovak insurance card is no longer valid and I still haven’t received my Czech insurance card yet. However, I do know my Czech birth number from my employer. The nurse was lovely, checked the system using my birth number, confirmed that I was insured, and they treated me. They prescribed antibiotics and told me to see a general practitioner for a follow-up once I finished them. Fine, all good.
On Friday, May 15th, I took my last pills, so I contacted a GP clinic explaining that I was in this situation without an insurance card but needed a follow-up examination, and asked whether they would see me if I knew my birth number. The nurse again verified my insurance through the system using my birth number and told me to come Monday morning. Great.
This morning, I was already getting worse again, so I was glad I would be seeing a doctor soon. I went to the clinic only to be told that they would not treat me without the insurance card. I tried explaining the situation again and even asked them to at least see me as a self-paying patient since I was already there and in pain. At that point the nurse started yelling at me that I’m legally required to carry my insurance card with me and that she doesn’t care that I haven’t received it yet.
Okay then, back home, calling the insurance company to ask when the card would arrive or what I’m supposed to do in the meantime. Apparently they send the card to the employer after about three weeks — okay, I knew that already. I asked whether they could provide some temporary document instead so that I could actually receive healthcare somewhere. They can, but not to me directly — my employer has to request it. At that point I honestly felt completely powerless, but okay, I asked my employer to contact them.
The insurance company said a temporary document should already have arrived in my employer’s mailbox for me and that they should have given it to me already, but they didn’t. However, my employer claims nothing arrived and told me to try going to a VZP branch with my work contract and maybe, hopefully, someone there will print it for me.
Wonderful. So now I’m working because I don’t really have another option, and after work I’m going to the insurance office instead of the doctor, hoping someone will help me get the documents I need. And then what? Emergency room in the evening, and tomorrow morning trying my luck with yet another GP to see whether they’ll take me?
Has anyone here been in a similar situation and can offer advice? Or maybe recommend a decent GP, ideally in Prague 4? They don’t need to speak English, I speak Slovak/Czech, I just need someone who won’t yell at me anymore and who is actually willing to help. Thank you.
Update for anyone who might stuble on this and need the info: I did go to the VZP branch. However, they told me that I am likely asking them too soon as they have 30 days to process my employer's application for insurance. They told me that only then will they give me temporary confirmation until my insurance card arrives. I had to insist they look me up to check if I am processed already since I am having trouble receiving healthcare and my employer already received my imsurance number so I believe they processed me already. Turns out they did and they gave me the temporary insurance confirmation. If I wasn't processed yet, they would send me away so basically I would no longer be insured in Slovakia and not yet insured in Czechia. They would still treat me in the ER, but not at GP.