by croatiaweek
November 21, 2025
in
The Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) has placed a proposal for a new supplementary health insurance premium into public consultation, marking the first price increase in more than a decade.
Under the plan, the annual premium would rise from €111.49 to €180, or from €9.29 to €15 per month.
The last adjustment was introduced in 2013, and HZZO says costs in the healthcare system have risen significantly since.
According to the Fund, the use of healthcare services has grown steadily over the years, while prices of medical materials, consumables and salaries in the sector have also increased.
Broad inflation across all areas of life has further added pressure to the sustainability of the current model.
HZZO points out that amendments to the Compulsory Health Insurance Act, in force since 1 January 2024, increased both the minimum and maximum patient co-payment levels for several services.
This has helped raise revenue for healthcare institutions, but has also contributed to overall higher expenditure within the system. In response, HZZO has signed additional contracts with service providers to improve quality and access, adding to rising costs.
Despite this, the premium had remained unchanged thanks to stable long-term operations and accumulated funds. However, HZZO now argues that updating the price is necessary to preserve a fair, solidarity-based system that remains accessible to all insured persons.
Several vulnerable groups continue to qualify for free supplementary insurance, paid from the state budget.
These include people with 100% disabilities or severe conditions preventing daily functioning, organ donors, frequent blood donors (men with over 35 and women with over 25 donations), full-time students over 18, and citizens whose income falls below legally defined thresholds.
Currently, households with monthly income under €421.92 per member, and single persons earning less than €528.23, qualify. A new indexation in November is expected to raise these thresholds further.
Pregnant women remain fully covered for all pregnancy-related conditions, though HZZO recommends supplementary insurance for unrelated health issues.
HZZO says the proposed €15 monthly premium, together with existing protections for low-income groups, is essential to maintain a stable, inclusive system that guarantees equal access to healthcare for all insured citizens.