The digitization of Sociálna poisťovňa is meant to bring benefits to citizens, providers, and the institution itself. Director Michal Tariška explained what already works, how the approach to services is changing, and what will follow. The goal is for benefits to arrive automatically and for officials to devote more time to advisory services.
What already works: ePN and the insured person’s electronic account
The Electronic PN (ePN) has fundamentally changed the process: it is initiated by the doctor, not by a citizen’s application. Data are transmitted electronically, so the insured person does not have to carry paper forms and can focus on treatment. Hundreds of thousands of paper forms are eliminated annually, saving time, money, and the environment. At branches, everyone sees the same data, which speeds up processing.
The insured person’s electronic account provides an overview of paid contributions, insurances (sickness, pension, accident, unemployment), the second pillar account, periods of insurance, as well as the status of ongoing proceedings and benefits paid. Employers communicate via the Systém elektronických služieb (SES) and handle registrations and monthly statements online. The self-employed can view their balance account. Access is via the web in a responsive design; there is no standalone mobile app yet.
Less paperwork, more advisory services, and accessibility for everyone
The vision is to shift the core of the work from administration to advisory services. Experience from branches shows that ePN has significantly simplified the paperwork and sped up services. Roughly 200 to 250 thousand people have activated the electronic account, and more people are checking their data a few years before retirement. This allows Sociálna poisťovňa to clean up data in advance and shorten processing times.
Digitization, however, will not be a barrier for less proficient users. In-person counseling remains available at branches, and the expanding call center helps as well. Many seniors also routinely use online services, so access to information is easier for them too.
Proactive benefits and “life situations” on the horizon
Some benefits already arrive without an application. For unemployment benefit, after registration at the labor office, Sociálna poisťovňa receives the information and starts the process automatically. An even simpler model is being prepared for the future in cooperation with the labor ministry.
The institution is responsible for seven of the 16 “life situations” in the recovery plan. In the “I am ill” area, ePN is in operation; for OČR, work is underway on a solution, but full automation is not possible because a third party is involved. For “Birth of a child,” the pregnancy benefit is to arise proactively after a trigger from the doctor; the maternity benefit will remain application-based because of the choice of the start date. The agency already obtains the information about a child’s birth from the register, so parents do not have to bring the birth certificate, and the goal is to implement all commitments by mid-2026.
