T.R. citizens and foreign nationals who live in Turkey have got two options to take advantage of health services.
Having general health insurance or private health insurance are between these two options. Out of these, general health insurance is met by state. Private health insurance is also obtained through payment of a certain annual fee to insurance company by a person. Additionally, physicians who operate their own clinics are available. These physicians do not work under insurance and have got their wage scale.
In this letter, we will deal with the ways to benefit from health services for the foreign nationals living in Turkey particularly.
Who can benefit from General Health Insurance?
- The foreigners who have taken residence permit in Turkey,
- The foreigners who have no insurance in country outside Turkey,
- The foreigners who have been living in Turkey for a time longer than one year and make application following end of this duration can benefit from general health insurance.
Foreign nationals may apply to general health insurance in the direction of their requests.
Where to apply to benefit from General Health Insurance by Foreign nationals?
Foreign nationals should personally apply to the closes social security centre in order to take advantage of general health insurance. In order to make this application, social security centres more than 600 are found across Turkey.
Which Certificates are Required ?
In making general health insurance application, the following certificates should be delivered;
- Certificate of residence permit,
- Original copy of photocopy of the letter which shows social security situations in terms of general health insurance application, taken from labour attache’s Office or social security institution of respective foreign country,
- Letter of undertaking form
Which Other Persons can benefit?
Of a foreign person entitled to general health insurance;
- spouse,
- children who do not turn age 18,
- children younger than 20 and not married in case they study in high school or equivalent institution,
- children younger than 25 and not married in case they study in higher education,
- children whose disability is detected and not married regardless of their age,
- father and mother determined by the Institution that their subsistence is provided according to the criteria identified by foreign person can benefit from health services
How much is General Health Insurance Premium?
Insurance premium rate to be paid by foreign nationals is 24 % of minimum wage. This rate is 4% of minimum wage for foreign students. As of January 2017, minimum wage in Turkey is 1603 Turkish Liras.
How can foreign nationals benefit from Private Insurance?
First of all, in order to receive residence permit in Turkey, foreign nationals should be owner of private insurance. In other words, one of the basic conditions to get residence permit is to have private health insurance.
Private health insurance is provided by various insurance companies which operate in the country. Some differences may exist between coverages offered by insurance companies.
As with general health insurance, a monthly premium is deposited to insurance company for private health insurance too. Health services are benefited free of charge in exchange for that.
It should be noted that: after taking residence permit, foreign person may apply to general health insurance by cancelling private insurance policy.
How is Private Health Insurance taken out?
Insurance companies which operate in Turkey poses agencies in nearly each city. These companies may be specialized on subjects like property insurance, travel insurance, vehicle insurance, earthquake insurance and health insurance, etc.
Therefore, necessary information may be obtained from the insurance companies which offer private health insurance and you can take out private health insurance by visiting insurance agencies personally.
Which Health Services are under Private Health Insurance?
Just like general health insurance, private health insurance covers many health services. If it is required to give example for these;
- cornea, kidney, pancreas, liver, heart, lung transplant
- ESWL, Gama Knife expenses
- Medicine expenses
- Expenses of physician examination
- Biochemistry, microbiology, pathology examinations, radiological examination and scanning with the aim of diagnosis which are carried out during inpatient treatment,
- Postoperative physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Cardiovascular angiography
- Medical care services given at home with the intent of providing social support and useful for daily life activities of insured
- Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, dialysis…. may be exemplified.
How to take Service from the Physicians having Private Clinic?
In addition to state and university hospitals, there also exist the physicians who have their private clinics, performing a duty in private hospitals. These physicians cannot work under any insurance. They have their own wage scales. So, there is no possibility for patients to benefit from insurance for treatment to be applied in private clinics. Therefore, taking advantage of the physicians who have got private clinics may be compelling financially.
