Handling Healthcare Abroad

So for a minor cold or injury that doesn’t need immediate medical attention, you can easily make an appointment with a doctor from one of the English-speaking facilities that accepts our GeoBlue insurance. Between the two I’ve been to so far (Canadian Medical Care and Unicare), Canadian Medical has been my favorite; the facility was one of the most modern looking ones I’ve been to so far in Prague. GeoBlue Students are supposed to have the GeoBlue insurance app downloaded on their phones, and through it, you can schedule a doctor appointment. However, I recommend calling one of the facilities directly, as it could take days— or in my case, weeks— before the facilities or GeoBlue will respond to requests done through the app. After calling and scheduling an appointment, it’s very important to call GeoBlue to request a guarantee of payment. You simply call the number provided through the app, let them know your certificate number on your insurance card, date of birth, date and location of the appointment, and reason for going. GeoBlue will then email you a guarantee of payment, and you’re all set! Don’t forget, if you’re new to a facility, you’ll have to fill out paperwork either before or upon arrival, so keep that in mind for timing your visit.

For more serious injuries or illnesses, you shouldn’t have to worry about figuring things out yourself. We have great Czech-speaking RAs who are trained to help you, as I realized in my own experience. For hospital visits, we’re provided with a different insurance called Uniqa. A warning though: we’re given the Uniqa insurance card when we arrive in Prague, and you need to make sure to NOT misplace this card! I almost did, but thankfully after searching through mounds of papers in and on my desk, I managed to find it. From there, the RA-on-Duty took me to the hospital, translated everything for me, and made sure I got the proper care I needed.