If you are looking to obtain Turkish residency or citizenship, you should also be aware of the costs of medical treatment in Turkey. Medical and medical expenses are expenses that you must pay at least once a year. In any case, no illness is reported. So it is wise to get acquainted with the Turkish medical system.
Medical expenses in Türkiye It is low compared to the global standard.
If we compare the prices with our own country, we can say that the costs are a bit high. In this article, we will explain the types of medical and doctor insurance costs.
It is not bad to know that Turkey ranks 10th in the world for the cheapest and highest quality medical services.
More than 1000 medical centers have been opened in Istanbul alone. Like in our country, the cost of private and public hospitals is different.
The cost of treatment in public hospitals
For example, the cost of public hospitals is less than half of the cost of private hospitals.
Government hospitals only accept SGK insurance. This insurance is like social security insurance in our country. Of course, this insurance is only for citizens.
Cost of treatment in private hospitals
Also, private insurances are acceptable only in private hospitals and pharmacies that are parties to the insurance contract.
Appointments to visit government medical centers are made from the address of the website hastarandevu.gov.tr.
Of course, if it is an emergency (such as an accident), you can also enter the emergency room of the hospital. A limited number of public hospitals also provide services at the patient’s home.
Almost like our own country, if you don’t have insurance, you have to pay a lot for treatment. Even with insurance, you have to pay 10-40% of the treatment cost.
Some insurances cover all medical, pharmaceutical, and doctor-related expenses, but require higher annual fees.
Health services in Turkey
If an accident occurs, all your medical treatment will be free with a police report.
If you do not have a police report, these fees will be paid in full by the person.
Tourists can only use private medical centers for non-emergency examinations. The emergency number (112) in all cities of Turkey provides on-site initial examinations to patients free of charge.
All citizens and people intending to stay in Turkey for more than 1 year must have insurance, but it is recommended to use insurance for short-term stays as well. Foreign nationals can insure themselves personally.
The cost of health insurance in Turkey
The cost of health insurance in Turkey depends on factors such as the type of insurance and the annual fee you pay for it.
According to Turkish law, all persons under 17 and over 65 are not required to pay insurance.
It can be said that the cost of health insurance for people aged 18 to 23 will be approximately 400 liras, and for people aged 23 to 65, it will be about three thousand liras per year.
If your treatment process is such that it has to be continued in several shifts, you must pay between ten and forty percent of its cost yourself. If you do not have a specific and acute illness, you can benefit from the free services available in pharmacies.
What is covered by insurance?
- Cost of hospitalization
- Outpatient treatments
- Services provided in the hospital such as operating room, anesthesia, laboratory, radiology and…
- Member transplant costs
- Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and dialysis
- Dental treatments and rhinoplasty caused by an accident
- All microbiological and pathobiological tests
- Radiology and imaging
- MRI
- The cost of hospitalization in intensive care units
- Drug costs
- Visit a doctor and all the necessary tests to diagnose or prevent diseases
What services are not covered by insurance?
- Natural disasters (such as floods, earthquakes, landslides)
- War Injuries
- Rebellion injuries
- Injury due to terrorist acts
- Injuries due to nuclear radiation
- Occupational sports injuries such as skiing
- vaccination
- Diseases related to alcohol and drug use
- Rehabilitation measures
- Placing a prosthesis
- Buy glasses, canes
- Covid-19
Injuries due to the use of vehicles that are not recognized as public transport and the costs associated with the illness that the passenger suffered before traveling to Turkey will not be covered by insurance.
The cost of a doctor's visit in Turkey
In general, it should also be said that medical costs in Turkey may vary depending on the region and city you are in. For example, medical costs in Istanbul are higher than in smaller cities such as Antalya due to its size and the number of hospitals and medical centers.
For example, the cost of a general doctor’s visit is around 100 liras and for a specialist doctor is 300 liras or more. However, if you are a citizen of Turkey, these costs are greatly reduced, and for example, the cost of a general doctor’s visit is free and the cost of a specialist doctor’s visit is between 100 and 300 liras.
Cost of medicine and tests in Turkey
Compared to Iran, the cost of medicine in Türkiye is very high. However, the drugs produced in Turkey have a standard close to European drugs. Some medicines are covered by health insurances, but if you live in Turkey and do not have insurance, the cost of medicines will sometimes be heavy for you.
In Türkiye, tests also have an interesting mechanism. Tests may be needed for some medical issues. However, there is no need to wait until the next day to receive the test result, because the test result will be displayed on the doctor’s monitor on the same day. It is interesting to know that prescribing antibiotics is difficult in Türkiye.
Types of insurance in Turkey
State insurance of Turkish private companies: This insurance is for people who have registered a company in Turkey. Investors also benefit from this insurance. If a person is hired by a Turkish company, this insurance will also be included.
Private insurance of private companies: AIt is one of the most common and essential health insurances in Turkey for foreign nationals. It does not matter if you are staying short or long term. This insurance is also popular among Iranians. If you have obtained residence in Turkey through other means of investment, use this insurance.
Introducing SGK Insurance
Medical services in Türkiye، It has a wide range and has different parts. All these services are provided under the auspices of the Turkish Social Security Organization or SGK; In other words, all types of Turkish state insurance are known as SGK insurance. This insurance covers both medical services and the provision of retirement facilities.
There are generally three types of SGK insurance, or social security insurance:
Social Insurance (SSK)
Which is usually considered by the employer for employees and workers. Iranians can also receive state insurance if they have a legal job and a work permit in Turkey. This insurance also provides services for retirement.
Self-employed insurance (Bag-kur)
Which is for self-employed people, people who own their own business or have registered a company in their name in Turkey. Iranians can also use self-employed insurance in these ways. This insurance also has pension services and facilities.
General Health Insurance (GSS)
Its services are less than the previous two cases and of course it is much more economical. Unemployed people can also use insurance. Of course, you should note that this insurance only allows you to use theservices of public health centersand does not provide pension services.
The best health insurance in Türkiye
Private health insurance companies in Turkey
Private health insurance companies in Turkey cover a person’s medical needs in the event of accidents and incidents. You can also choose any doctor or specialist doctor for your treatment. By visiting thisSigortam.net website, depending on the type of insurance you request, use the most appropriate health insurance prices of Turkish private companies.
- Acıbadem Sağlık ve Hayat Sigorta
- Aksigorta
- Allianz Sigorta
- Anadolu Sigorta
- Ergo Sigorta
- Groupama Sigorta
- Güneş Sigorta
- Mapfre Genel Sigorta
- Axa Sigorta
Drug purchase site in Türkiye
Sometimes, you may need a medication, but due to various circumstances, such as being far from a pharmacy or not being able to attend in person, you are unable to do so.
In such a situation, online shopping from reputable pharmacies can help you get your medicines easily and quickly and save you from the hassles of transportation and traveling to pharmacies to buy the medicines you need.
Websites Eczane، Dermo Eczanem و Turuncu Ecza Among the most popular pharmaciesare online in Türkiye.
These sites allow their customers to buy medicine, medical devices and supplements such as skin creams, vitamins, health products and related to massage and spa centers and many other things.
These websites have the necessary licenses from the Food and Drug Organization of Turkey to sell pharmaceutical and medical products, and through these websites you can easily order the drugs you need at a reasonable price and have them delivered to your address.
Also, these sites provide their customers with the opportunity to visit a variety of products and shop online. This possibility allows you to easily and anytime you want, order your medicines and medical products and receive them at your door.
FAQ
Having insurance is very effective in reducing costs. Otherwise, the costs are staggering compared to Iran. For example, if you are a permanent resident of Turkey, you do not need to pay for a visit to a general practitioner. The cost of a specialist doctor also varies depending on whether you visit a public or private hospital. The cost of a specialist doctor’s visit in Turkey is between 70 and 200 lira.
Again, it is very high compared to Iran. However, insurance covers some (in some cases all costs). You should know that pills like painkillers are not covered by insurance, but they will not cost much.
Without insurance, the cost of treatment in Turkey is high. After insurance, you have to pay about 10 to 40 percent of the cost of treatment. Of course, some insurers will cover all the cost of treatment, medicine and doctor.
Most hospital costs in Turkey, including MRI, radiology, testing, imaging, outpatient treatment, dentistry, and other non-cosmetic matters, are covered by insurance.
According to the laws of this country, people under 17 and over 65 are not required to pay insurance premiums. People aged 18 to 23 have to pay about 400 lira a year and people aged 23 to 65 have to pay around 3,000 lira a year for health insurance. Some insurances cover all medical expenses, which of course have a higher annual fee.
You can make an appointment with the doctor online and in person.
Experiments may also be written for trivial issues. But you do not have to wait a day to get the test result.
Many Turkish residents are covered by a family doctor. This means that they use the free services of a general practitioner and pediatrician.
Pharmacies in Turkey are open from 8:30 to 19:00 and on Saturdays from 9:30 to 19:00. If you need a pharmacy outside these hours, you should use 24-hour pharmacies, which are a little are. If you need medicine, go to the site Nöbetçi Eczaneler Visit to find out about the nearest pharmacy near your home. It is not bad to know that Turkish hospitals often do not have pharmacies.
Hypnotics, strong painkillers, or attention-grabbing medications are among the drugs that you must be certified in Turkish with English to use. We recommend if they are not really necessary; Do not take them to the airport.
