Czech Ombudsman rules children's homes cannot charge wards for medical care

Czech Children's Ombudsman Martin Beneš has clarified that children's homes are prohibited from charging wards for orthodontic braces or other medically recommended health services. This ruling follows a specific case where a facility attempted to charge a young girl approximately 50,000 CZK for braces, demanding she pay half the cost from her own savings.

Under current legal regulations, children's homes are responsible for covering the costs of medical care, including unpaid medications and orthodontic aids, unless the child's parents directly request and pay for them. In the investigated case, the home had applied its own internal regulations, which the ombudsman determined were in conflict with the law.

Following the ombudsman's intervention, the facility's management amended its internal rules and covered the full cost of the girl's orthodontic treatment.