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 the first infoline, enabling interested citizens to obtain the necessary information regarding the treatment of children and adults abroad.
On 27 November of the same year, the State Health Insurance Fund also opened the National Contact Centre, where insured persons can obtain all the necessary information about their health insurance rights by phone.
This includes data on health cards, waiting lists, treatment abroad and health and travel insurance, which citizens can obtain by calling the following numbers: 0700 333 443, +381 11 735 0 900 and +381 11 2053 683.
The insured have access to 40 operators divided into sectors, given that the State Health Insurance Fund provides a wide range of services.
Interested parties will receive an answer immediately upon asking a question, and if the operator is unable to answer immediately, the insured will receive an answer within 24 hours by email or telephone.
A call to the number 0700 333 443 is charged at the price of a local landline call.
The number +381 11 735 0900 is intended for calls from mobile networks and calls from abroad and the prices are the same as when calling from a mobile phone.
All information regarding treatment abroad can be obtained by calling the number +381 11 2053 683.