How To Get A Free Doctor Visit In Poland

Transcription

1 1. Can I enroll free-of-charge to a family doctor in a Scanmed - Akamedik ambulatory? Of course! It is enough to complete a declaration of choice of a service provider, doctor, nurse and midwife of the Primary Health Care (POZ) and then to submit it to any Akamedik center. Such declarations are available in any Akamedik center. 2. I am enrolled to Scanmed -Akamedik. What services are guaranteed? Students enrolled to the ambulatory are entitled to free-of-charge* medical care from the scope of the Primary Health Care. The scope of offered services includes: a) services of the Primary Health Care doctor, including: a. medical examinations and consultations b. diagnostics and medical treatment c. referrals to specialist, hospital and health resort treatment d. vaccinations specified in the vaccination schedule b) services of a primary Health Care Center nurse c) services of a primary Health Care Center midwife d) health promotion and prevention of diseases 3. I have many activities at the university and sometimes I work in the afternoons. I have no time to go to the ambulatory and register myself to a doctor s appointment. How else can I do it? With hard-working students in mind the Call Center was launched: phone number Telephone enrollment for a doctor s appointment for a specific time allows to shorten the time spent in the ambulatory. Call Center makes appointments for you for a time and date which is convenient to a patient. Just make a phone call.

2 4. When enrolling to Scanmed-Akamedik ambulatory do I have to resign from my former health care center? Enrolling to Akamedik (by filling a declaration) it is not necessary to resign formally from the previous health care center. 5. Having received a Master s degree I began my Ph.D. studies. Can I still take advantage of the Scanmed-Akamedik ambulatory offer? Am I restricted by my age? Offer referring to a choice of a doctor, nurse, midwife does not impose any age restrictions and is available to everybody. 6. I am sick and unfortunately I am incapable of attending any university activities. WillI receive a medical certificate in the ambulatory? All doctors seeing patients in Akamedik are authorized to issue medical certificates on disability for work/ university activities. 7. Apart from a family doctor can I also enroll to a specialist, e.g. dentist or dermatologist? In the Akamedik ambulatory first and foremost we perform services from scope of the Primary Health Care. There is also a possibility of taking advantage of commercial services of specialists with a special discount dedicated to students. 8. I have planned a trip to the mountains with my friends. If needed will I be able to see a doctor there ( within the National Health Care Fund contract), if my ambulatory is e.g. Akamedik? Pursuant to art. 28 of the Act on health care services financed from public funds of 27 August 2004, a person entitled to health care financed by the National Health Care

3 Fund has the right to choose and submit a declaration of choice of one primary health care doctor. However, the secondary legislation to the above act, i.e. the Regulation No. 85/2011/DSOZ issued by the President of the National Health Care Fund on 17 November 2011 specifying the conditions of conclusion and performance of agreements for provision of health care services such as: primary health care with amended enclosures allows for the possibility of obtaining a medical consultation from a primary health care doctor when a patient is away from his/her place of residence and far from a chosen primary health care physician (i.e. outside the area of his/her National Health Care Fund coverage). In this situation, an insured person is entitled to a medical consultation, having met the following conditions: - health care service is provided by a Primary Health Care doctor, who provides services for the National Health Care Fund, - patient s condition requires this service, i.e. in medically justifiable cases. Therefore, if during a stay outside a patient s region, in case of a sudden sickness you must visit the nearest Primary Health Care doctor, submit a statement on the right to medical treatment ( produce an ID) and obtain medical help. Student should select a Primary Health Care service provider,doctor,nurse or midwife in the place of current residence to have a guaranteed right to receive medical treatment from the scope of the Primary Health Care. 9. I am a first year student. I would like to enroll myself to a family doctor. Can I take advantage of this appointment free-of-charge? Of course. You must only remember that you need insurance. If you are insured you can take advantage of medical consultations, various examinations and treatment for free. All students are subject to mandatory health care insurance. Luckily, nonworking students below 26 years of age are still covered by their parents health insurance. In case of significant degree of disability there is no age limitation. Legal

4 basis - the Act on health care services financed from public funds of 27 th August 2004 (Dz. U. Journal of Laws - of 2008, No. 164, item 1027 as amended). Therefore students who are not covered by the health care insurance on account of the premium paid by another family member are obliged to be insured through the University. 10. I am a student. Who can report me to the insurance coverage? a) Your parents or legal guardians as a family member. b) Higher school, a university or an institution offering doctoral studies provided that you study in the territory of the Republic of Poland, you are not a member of an insured person s family and you submit a statement that you are not subject to the mandatory health insurance. 11. How can I check if I am insured? It is enough to appear in the ambulatory for registration to a doctor s appointment and the registration employees, on the basis of identification verification document, will check in the ewuś system whether you are insured. ewuś is an electronic system of verification of the patients entitlement to health care services financed by the National Health Care Fund linked to the Central Register of Insured Persons (CWU). From 01 st February 2013 everybody can verify his/her right to health care services in a hospital, ambulatory, doctor s office without any necessity of presenting additional documents. It is enough to disclose a PESEL [Personal Identification Number] and an identification verification document. 12. Do I have to produce a proof of insurance for a doctor s appointment?

5 From 01 st January 2013 the patients do not have to produce a proof of insurance each time they visit a doctor. It is sufficient to produce an identification verification document: personal identification card, passport or a driving license. You must show in the registration one of the above documents and the registration employees will electronically check in the ewuś system if you are insured. 13. I am a second year student. I was insured. Unfortunately, wishing to enroll myself to a doctor s appointment after coming back from vacations it turned out it was impossible. I am not insured. What could be a reason? I did not make any changes If you were reported to the insurance, but you also worked during your studies, for example during vacations - pursuant to the employment contract, when you finish work you will be de-registered from insurance. In such a case you must be registered again to take advantage of the health care services. Your right to health services will also expire if your parents who registered you to the insurance will change their employment and they do not report you at their new employer s. Remind them to register you again. Both of them can report you concurrently. You will avoid problems if e.g. one of the parents loses his/her insurance entitlement. 14. Can I be enrolled to two different ambulatories at the same time? No. Enrolling to the ambulatory in the town where you study you automatically resign from the services of your current family doctor. Of course, if you are on vacation, if you come back home and need a doctor, you may take advantage of such an appointment. The National Health Care Fund in exceptional situations, e.g. during a sickness, allows you to use a service of another health care provider. Remember that enrolling to the Akamedik ambulatories network you have a right to use all its ambulatories - you decide which one you wish to visit!

6 15. I was expelled. Can I still visit a primary health care doctor ( family doctor) free of charge? If you graduated or was expelled and you are not employed yet and you have not been reported to the insurance, don t worry! You keep the right to health care service from the National Health Care Fund for the subsequent 4 months. 16. Do I have a right to change my primary health care physician and is it a paid service? Each patient is entitled to change his/her doctor. If this is a change of the primary health care doctor, during a calendar year you can change your doctor 3 times without any financial consequences. Each subsequent change is connected with the necessity to pay PLN Is a student obliged to take insurance coverage in the National Health Care Fund? In compliance with the regulations students are obliged to take insurance coverage. Regulations also indicate the priority of taking over the obligation to report a student to the insurance. Therefore: if a student is employed on the basis of an employment contract, his/her employer reports a student to the insurance (and pays the insurance premium), however if a student conducts his/her own business activity, a student is encumbered with this obligation him-/herself. The second on the list of entities obliged to report a student to the insurance in case of a student who does not have an employment contract or his/her own business activity are a student s parents, but only until a student reaches 26 years of age.a working parent reports a student to his/her insurance. A student who reached the age of 26 or who is not subject to health insurance under any other account is reported to the insurance by the university. This notification is made after the immatriculation and submission of a student of an statement of not being subject to an insurance obligation under any

7 other account. It relates to all types of higher schools and mode of studies, i.e. also private universities, extramural studies, etc. 18. Can the students coming from the European Union countries take advantage of free of charge health care services? Yes, they can take advantage pursuant to the same principles as the Polish insured students. As a proof of insurance coverage they can produce the European Health Care Insurance Card or a certificate replacing this card. Having these documents they can use health care services but only in ambulatories which perform services within the National Health Care Fund framework. Primary health care includes the examinations and a primary health care doctor s consultation. A doctor may also refer a patient to diagnostic tests, to a specialist or to a hospital. 19. Can students from non-european Union countries, studying in Poland, count on free- of- charge health care services? Students who begin studies at any university in Poland and come from non-european Union countries, i.e. from the Ukraine, can sign an agreement on the Voluntary Health Care Insurance with the director of the regional branch of the National Heath Care Fund covering the location of the university. To conclude this agreement it is necessary to submit a student status certificate from a higher school. Monthly premium for health care insurance currently amounts to PLN