When children's medical check-ups should be free – an explanation for parents

Preventive medical examinations for children in Ukraine are free of charge and are included in the Medical Guarantee Program package "Prevention, diagnosis, observation, and treatment in outpatient conditions." This was reported by UNN with reference to information from the NHSU.

The agency noted that the relevant doctor consultations are paid for by the National Health Service of Ukraine and must be free of charge for patients.

Details

Under the Medical Guarantee Program, a child can receive necessary consultations from specialist doctors without payment from parents or legal representatives. This includes, in particular, examinations by a pediatrician, neurologist, ophthalmologist, orthopedist, and other specialists if such consultations are required for a preventive medical examination.

At the same time, the program does not set limits on the number of doctors a child can see in one day. Each consultation is a separate medical service and is paid for by the NHSU independently of others.

If the examination process spans several days, this is not due to NHSU requirements, but rather the organization of work at the specific medical facility. The appointment schedule, booking sequence, and doctor workload are determined by the facility itself.

Can doctor consultations be combined?

Parents or legal representatives of the child have the right to contact the medical facility administration with a request to organize consultations on the same day or to minimize the number of visits as much as possible. Such a request may be justified, particularly when it concerns a young child, their health status, the security situation, or the need to reduce the number of contacts within the medical facility.

Is payment required for a child's preventive examination?

Preventive medical examinations for children, including those for submitting documents to social protection authorities, are included in the Medical Guarantee Program and are paid for by the NHSU. Therefore, a medical facility cannot demand payment from a patient for such services.

If a service is included in the Medical Guarantee Program, it must be provided free of charge. Only medical services that are not part of this program can be paid services. The cost of such additional services and possible discounted rates are determined by the specific medical facility. At the same time, replacing a free service with a paid one within the Medical Guarantee Program is not permitted.

As a reminder

The Medical Guarantee Program covers pregnancy support, tests, and childbirth with pain relief. Mothers receive prenatal screening free of charge.