Referrals in Croatia: when an examination is free, how long a referral is valid and what the 90-day rule means
What a referral covers, how long it is valid, why you sometimes pay a co-payment and when HZZO pays for your examination at a private clinic. A short guide for patients.
Updated 20.10.2026 · 4 min read · Prvi termin
A referral („uputnica“) is your ticket into the public health system: without one there is no specialist examination or diagnostic test paid for by HZZO, the national health insurance fund. Here are the answers to the questions patients ask most often.
Who issues a referral and for what
A referral is issued by your GP (or by a gynaecologist or paediatrician in primary care) when they judge that a specialist or an examination is needed. Today it is an e-referral: you do not carry a piece of paper; the institution sees you in the CEZIH system. A referral can be for an examination, for a diagnostic test (MRI, CT scan, ultrasound, laboratory) or for hospital treatment.
How long it is valid
As a rule, a referral is valid for 30 days from issue for making an appointment, and if you have booked within that period, it remains valid until the date of the examination, even if that is several months away. If you miss the deadline, you need a new one. The exact period depends on the type of referral; ask your doctor.
What is free and what is a co-payment
With a referral, HZZO pays for the examination. Insured persons without supplementary insurance pay a co-payment: usually 10 € per examination or test, and more for more expensive tests, up to the statutory maximum per invoice. With supplementary insurance („dopunsko“, from HZZO or a private insurer) there is no co-payment. Certain groups are exempt from co-payments, for example children, people with disabilities and insured persons on lower incomes.
The 90-day rule: an examination at a private clinic paid for by HZZO
If you have been waiting more than 90 days on a public list for an MRI, CT scan or certain ultrasound examinations, HZZO pays for the examination at a private polyclinic that has an HZZO contract. The procedure: a referral from your GP, a check of the waiting time (we show it on the Waiting lists page), and a booking at a contracted private clinic. The list of contracted clinics and examinations is on the page Free with a referral. The number of places is limited, so book as soon as you meet the condition.
When a referral is not needed
For a private examination that you pay for yourself, no referral is needed, regardless of whether the provider is a private polyclinic or a private practice. The same applies to examinations through additional private insurance („dodatno“). In emergencies (emergency services, 112) no referral is needed either.
Practical tips
- Book as soon as the referral is issued, and at several hospitals if their lists differ significantly; a referral is valid throughout Croatia.
- Ask your doctor to mark the referral as a priority if your condition is urgent; urgent and very urgent referrals have shorter deadlines.
- Keep your previous reports: the specialist will ask for them.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I use a referral at a private clinic?
- Yes, if the clinic has an HZZO contract for that service. Such clinics are marked „HZZO contract“ on Prvi termin. Without a contract, you pay for the private examination yourself.
- What if my doctor does not want to give me a referral?
- Your GP decides whether it is medically justified. If you disagree, you can ask for a second opinion or have the examination privately without a referral.
- Is the referral still valid after 90 days of waiting?
- Yes, as long as you booked within the deadline. If you have been waiting more than 90 days for an MRI, CT scan or ultrasound, you can have the examination at a contracted private clinic without a new referral.
General information, not medical advice. In an emergency call 112. Prices and rules may change; the clinic and HZZO give binding information.