Reimbursements for compulsory vaccination of children

The Ombudswoman initiated inquiry into the un-unified practice in the area of reimbursements of compulsory vaccinations of children from the public health insurance system in situations where parents decide to postpone the vaccination.

A survey conducted last year by Rozalio, an association dealing with vaccination policy, called attention to disparate reimbursement practices on the part of public health insurance companies with regard to postponed vaccination. The opinion of the Ministry of Health presented on the association’s website was rejected by multiple health insurance companies, including the General Health Insurance Company of the Czech Republic (Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna České republiky).

The Ministry of Health noted that “as concerns the reimbursement of regular vaccination, the law does not associate it with meeting of any vaccination dates specified by the Decree”. The Ministry also noted that “the purpose of reimbursing regular vaccinations from public health insurance is not to ensure that the insured persons meet deadlines according to the Decree and the vaccination calendar, but rather to achieve high vaccination rates in the population”.

Ministry of Health admitted that not all insurance companies adhere to the Ministry’s opinion cited above. In the meantime, however, the Union of Health Insurance Companies issued a methodology based on the Ministry’s opinion and unified their practice as of 1 June 2018. As a result, the insurance companies will now also reimburse vaccinations outside of the vaccination calendar.