Foreigners from outside the EU insured with Maxima pojišťovna can now collect prescription medicines at selected pharmacies without paying upfront.

The Czech insurer has expanded its network of partner pharmacies through a new agreement with LÉKÁRNA U MUZEA in Prague 1.

Under the arrangement, the pharmacy and insurer handle the reimbursement directly, bringing the process closer to the system used by patients covered by Czech public health insurance.

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The change is aimed at simplifying access to medicines for foreigners, who can face difficulties navigating the Czech healthcare system and understanding the costs associated with medical treatment.

According to figures cited by the insurer, nearly 900,000 people from non-EU countries have been living in the Czech Republic on a long-term basis. They account for about 8.2 percent of the country’s population.

How the new system works

Previously, foreign clients with commercial health insurance could be required to pay for prescribed medicines at the pharmacy and then submit the receipts to their insurer for reimbursement.

Under the new arrangement, this step is eliminated. Eligible Maxima clients can collect their prescribed medicines through the partner pharmacy, while the financial settlement takes place directly between the pharmacy and the insurance company.

The model has already been operating for more than a year at the pharmacy operated by Maxima’s healthcare partner Innova Healthcare at the Hůrka Polyclinic in Prague.

The data also highlights some of the most common medical needs among patients visiting the participating clinics. More than 63 percent of patients seen by general practitioners, pediatricians and gynecologists were prescribed antibiotics.

More than 37 percent required treatment for sideropenic anemia, or iron deficiency, while 20 percent received prescriptions for blood-thinning medication following injuries.

The pharmacy in Prague 1 will also stock medical equipment and rehabilitation aids. Its range includes orthoses, crutches, wheelchairs and products for convalescence, rehabilitation and everyday healthcare.

Maxima says it intends to expand the direct-settlement model to additional partner pharmacies in the future.

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