Sickness insurance in the Czech Republic in 2009-2024 and proposals for its adjustment

The main objective of this thesis is to analyze the development of sickness insurance in the Czech Republic between 2009 and 2024. A partial objective is to formulate recommendations aimed at increasing its effectiveness and long-term sustainability based on the findings. The topic was chosen due to its relevance and its direct impact on the financial situation of working households. The theoretical part defines social policy and social security and presents the sickness insurance system in detail, including its development, legislation and individual benefits. The analysis confirms the long-term dominant participation of employees and the very low participation of self-employed persons, whose involvement declines significantly over the observed period. The financial balance shows surpluses in economically stable years and high deficits during crisis periods. Significant changes are evident in indicators of temporary incapacity for work. The abolition of the waiting period, together with the COVID-19 pandemic, led to a sharp increase in the number of completed cases and a decrease in the average duration of temporary incapacity for work. The data further show that employees are more likely to choose short-term incapacity when wage compensation is provided from the first day. Based on these findings, several recommendations are formulated. The proposed measures focus on increasing the participation of self-employed persons, for example through mandatory participation, and on reducing the incidence of short-term sickness by introducing a shortened waiting period. Furthermore, the creation of a sickness insurance reserve fund is proposed to accumulate surpluses and stabilize the system during financial fluctuations. The thesis also proposes merging sickness and health insurance into a single institution to improve administrative efficiency and benefit management.