Preserving health and caring for the ill are fundamental responsibilities of any society that values humanity. The way we approach healthcare reflects the health of our worldviews. Modern technologies and the modernisation of healthcare institutions, along with the entire treatment process, should contribute to the preservation and enhancement of our greatest asset: the health of our citizens.
Requirements for the realisation of rights
Insured person are entitled to health protection abroad, in the event of temporary or permanent residence, in accordance with the international agreements on social insurance and the law.
When an international agreement is in place, the insured person can access health services through a bilingual form issued by the relevant branch of the State Health Insurance Fund.
In the absence of such an agreement, insured individuals are only entitled to emergency health protection, as stipulated by the law, which is realised by obtaining the Certificate for the Use of Health Protection Abroad (O3-12), issued by the relevant branch of the State Health Insurance Fund, prior to departing.
In exceptional cases, an insured person may receive approval for treatment abroad at the expense of mandatory social insurance funds for diseases, conditions or injuries that cannot be successfully treated within the Republic of Serbia, if the destination country possesses capacities for successful treatment of such diseases, conditions or injuries, as well as diagnostics for rare genetic diseases abroad that cannot be successfully provided in the Republic of Serbia, if the possibility of successful diagnostics for rare genetic diseases exists abroad, in accordance with the requirements, manner and procedure provided by the Rulebook.
On 1 October 2018, the State Health Insurance Fund launched its first info line, offering citizens the opportunity to obtain essential information regarding treatment for children and adults abroad.
By calling the numbers 011/2053-683 and 0700/333-443, citizens can receive information about the required documents for treatment abroad, how to submit applications, the status of their applications, the current progress of their requests and how to submit decisions.
This info line marks the beginning of the implementation of the National Call Centre of the State Health Insurance Fund, which will be fully operational in the near future as an integral part of the system.
Local call fees apply when dialling these numbers from a fixed telephone. The info line is available on weekdays from 07:30 to 15:30.