The Health Insurance Fund approves medical rehabilitation in a specialised institution, such as the "Dr Simo Milošević" Institute in Igalo, for the diseases, conditions and consequences of injuries on a dedicated List for medical rehabilitation. The Fund's new rulebook has applied since 15 February 2025 and for the first time also covers osteoporosis with a pathological fracture and epilepsy after surgery. The referral is issued by the Fund, based on medical records and a proposal from a panel of Clinical Centre doctors. For most conditions rehabilitation lasts 21 days within six months of hospital treatment or surgery, and after a stroke 28 days, with a possible extension. You must use the referral within six months of its issue, and children up to 15 get a companion.
This guide explains who is entitled to rehabilitation, how to get a referral, how long rehabilitation lasts, who gets transport and a companion and which deadlines you must meet.
Who is entitled to rehabilitation in Igalo?
- The right belongs to persons insured with the Fund for diseases, long-term changes in health, long-term disability and consequences of injuries on the List for medical rehabilitation.
- For each condition the List sets the diagnosis, the length of rehabilitation, the deadline for using it and the medical records you must submit.
- You use rehabilitation in a specialised rehabilitation institution that has a contract with the Fund.
- Since 15 February 2025 the List also includes osteoporosis with a pathological fracture and epilepsy after surgery, and children with a birth injury of the brachial plexus and a significant neurological deficit get rehabilitation until the age of ten.
How do you get a referral?
- The Fund issues the referral based on medical records and a proposal from a panel of doctors at the Clinical Centre of Montenegro.
- For heart and blood vessel diseases a cardiology and cardiac surgery panel proposes rehabilitation, and for diseases and injuries of the nervous system and tumours a neurology and neurosurgery panel.
- For diseases and injuries of bones, muscles and connective tissue and for burns an orthopaedics, rheumatology and physical medicine panel proposes rehabilitation.
- For children up to 15 rehabilitation is proposed by the panel of the Clinical Centre's Institute for Children's Diseases.
- When the medical records need an expert assessment, the Fund's first-instance medical commission gives its findings and opinion.
How long does rehabilitation last?
| Condition | Length under the List |
| acute heart attack | 21 days within six months of hospital treatment |
| stroke | 28 days within six months of hospital treatment, with a possible 14-day extension, and another 21 days within 12 months |
| most other conditions after hospital treatment or surgery | usually 21 days within six months |
| birth injury of the brachial plexus in a child | three times 21 days in the first year, then 21 days a year until the age of ten, if there is a significant neurological deficit |
- For some chronic diseases the List provides rehabilitation once a year or every other year, so check your diagnosis in the List.
- An extension of rehabilitation after a stroke is proposed by the physical medicine doctor of the institution where you are being rehabilitated.
Who gets transport and a companion?
- When you travel to another town for rehabilitation, the Fund issues you a certificate of the need to travel and sets public transport, and a companion for the journey if needed.
- If you cannot move on your own or cannot be taken by public transport for medical reasons, you get an ambulance vehicle on the panel's proposal.
- A child up to 15 has a companion during rehabilitation.
- A child up to 18 has a companion if they have a malignant disease, a neuromuscular disease, a plegic syndrome, a hearing, sight or speech impairment above 70%, an intellectual disability, an autism spectrum disorder, a psychosis or epilepsy.
Which deadlines must you meet?
- You hand the referral to the institution you are referred to and start rehabilitation within the period in its invitation.
- If illness, injury or a death in the family prevents you from starting on the set day, you inform the institution that invited you.
- You use the approved rehabilitation within six months of the referral being issued.
- If for medical reasons you did not apply within six months of the hospital confirmation of the disease or of surgery, you can apply within the following six months.
- If you interrupt rehabilitation because of an acute illness, you can continue it by agreement with the institution within three months at the latest.
How to choose and change your doctor is explained in our guide to your chosen doctor and eZdravlje, and pay while you are off work in our guide to sick leave. Aids through the Fund are covered in our guide to glasses and hearing aids, and rights after an accident at work in our guide to workplace injury.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get rehabilitation in Igalo through the Fund? A panel of Clinical Centre doctors proposes rehabilitation, and the Fund issues the referral based on the proposal and medical records.
How long is rehabilitation after a heart attack? After an acute heart attack the List provides 21 days of rehabilitation within six months of hospital treatment.
How long is rehabilitation after a stroke? The List provides 28 days within six months of hospital treatment, with a possible 14-day extension, and another 21 days within 12 months.
Does a child get a companion in Igalo? Yes, a child up to 15 always gets a companion, and a child up to 18 gets one with the more serious conditions listed in the rulebook.
By when must I use the referral? Within six months of the day the Fund issued the referral.
How do I travel to Igalo? The Fund issues you a certificate of the need to travel and sets public transport, or an ambulance vehicle when your health does not allow travel by public transport.
Sources
The right, the procedure, the panels, transport, companions, deadlines and the List for medical rehabilitation are set by the Health Insurance Fund's Rulebook on indications and use of medical rehabilitation in institutions providing specialised medical rehabilitation (Articles 1 to 16 and the List), and the start date and new conditions on the List by the Fund's announcement of 15 February 2025. The information was checked on 28 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; this text is not medical or legal advice.