Healthcare in Slovenia
How insurance-based healthcare works, choosing a personal doctor and booking visits.
Slovenian healthcare is built on mandatory health insurance: everyone in formal employment pays contributions and gains access to a solid public system. Here is how it works in practice.
- System basis
- mandatory insurance
- Entry point
- personal doctor
- Online portal
- zVEM
Mandatory insurance (ZZZS)
Public coverage is arranged through the Health Insurance Institute (ZZZS). The contribution is withheld from your salary and covers the bulk of medical care. Many people add voluntary insurance to cover co-payments.
Your personal doctor
Once insured, you choose a personal doctor (osebni zdravnik) who becomes your entry point to the system: referrals to specialists, prescriptions and sick leave. Children are registered with a paediatrician.
Appointments & private clinics
You book through the front desk or online (zVEM). Some specialists in the public system have waiting lists, so for urgent needs many use private clinics on a fee basis. Pharmacies (lekarna) are in every district.
Reference information. Confirm the exact terms for your case on a consultation.