Main Articles Medical insurance in Turkey for foreign citizens - useful information

Medical insurance in Turkey for foreign citizens - useful information

12/23/2020

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Good health is the key to a beautiful, long, and active life. Therefore, all non-nationals who move to Turkey are interested in health insurance.

There are several types of insurance:

mandatory private insurance;
additional private insurance;
state-issued insurance.

In the first year of residence, only private insurance is available for purchase. When applying for a residence permit, every foreigner between the ages of 18 and 65 must apply for private insurance.

The medical record must also be issued for the same duration as the resident's permit.

Turkish Migration Service manages this process. Minors, as well as seniors over 65 years of age, are not required to have insurance. Parents may decide for their children.

Components of compulsory health insurance in Turkey for non-nationals:

Hospitalization with full cost coverage in case of acute illness or an accident. Maternity care, treatment of chronic disease, and dental care are not covered.
Emergency, ambulatory care covered by 60%. If a medical appointment costs about 200 TL, the patient pays 80 TL and 120 TL - the insurance company. Care coverage has a limit. It is 2000 TL per year.

Insurance costs may range from 150 to 1000 TL a year. Before filling out the paperwork, note that health insurance companies work with different doctors and clinics.

To extend the range of services, you may choose additional private insurance. It is available to all residence permit holders. Such options are provided only by large companies. Their advantage is that they work with the most prominent medical organizations in the country. You can choose the coverage limit on ambulatory care. It will cost between 3000 and 6000 TL a year. The company will cover 80% of the treatment. Hospitalization expenses are fully covered. Physiotherapy, dialysis, chemotherapy are provided at the request of a doctor. The optional serviced may include dentist care, ophthalmological care, maternity care, etc. Rates depend on the applicant's age and the services.

State insurance or BAĞKUR is also in demand in Turkey. It is popular among retirees and ex-pat families with elders. It is available after a year of residence.

The insurance department may issue necessary papers upon request.
The main differences between BAĞKUR and private insurance:

The documents are issued for the entire family, not for each family member separately.
The monthly fee is about 850 TL, or 10,200 a year. Delay in payment will suspend the treatment until you pay the required amount.
You can get free help in public hospitals. In private hospitals, you pay only twenty per cent of the total amount.
BAĞKUR covers all ailments, including chronic ones.
Eighty per cent of pharmacological expenses are covered.

Turkish medical care is globally known for its high quality of service and professionalism.