How to Benefit Health Insurance in Hungary 2024

Whenever someone decides to move or just lives in Hungary, invariably the first question that comes to their mind is: how do things work in terms of health insurance in Hungary?

Being an expat means one is a stranger in a foreign land; navigating healthcare systems is hardly possible without proper knowledge. The country’s health care system in Hungary is split into two: the public sector and the private one, providing a variety of services to fit everyone’s needs. In this guide, we’ll look at what options for health insurance exist for residents in Hungary, how expensive it might be, and how you can be sure you are going to be covered.

The expense for the health sector is approximately 6.6 percent of GDP, and quite a lot is invested in public health care. Public health care in Hungary has benefited from widespread accessibility, but most people, even ex-pats, opt for private health insurance for faster services and more personalised treatment. Let’s learn further about how the health insurance system in Hungary works and what you need to know to stay covered.

Problem: Maze of Health Insurance in Hungary

Visiting a new country’s health insurance system is never easy to navigate, especially for Hungary. Many citizens, and foreign residents as well, are left feeling unsure about whether they could receive benefits, what services they might have access to, and what services are reimbursed. You would have to balance your choice between public health insurance, universally accessible, and private health insurance plans, each with its own different rules and regulations.

One of the major dilemmas people decide between is public health insurance and private health insurance. Hungary, for instance, offers very comprehensive public healthcare services provided by NEAK and many others. However, the system is so lengthy at times that they wait for the realisation of non-emergency procedures. Private health insurance provides better access and ease to healthcare providers, but naturally at a higher cost. Such choices can be confusing and bewildering for someone with limited knowledge of the system.

• Linguistic Barrier to Expats

The other challenge most expats face in Hungary is the language barrier. Most of the public health services are conducted in Hungary. This will make it hard for non-Hungarian-speaking individuals to communicate with the service providers. Although most private healthcare service providers provide services in English or other languages, this would add another complexity in choosing between public and private insurance.

• Red Tape Complexity

And like every other healthcare system in Europe, the one in Hungary is quite bureaucratic as well. There are many forms to be filled out, documents to be submitted, and deadlines to be met. That is why it’s quite complex for expats, even for locals, where they might end up missing the deadlines or being able to present health insurance applications that are incomplete.

Agitation: The Effect of Not Having Proper Health Insurance

Do you want to find yourself in a situation where you need medical attention, but your health care will not know whether they will charge for it, which will be covered by your health insurance, or not? Generally speaking, this may be a really stressful period for a person who has come to live abroad, especially in Hungary. Not having the right health insurance policy here can lead to such a serious consequence as undermining your financial stability and well-being simultaneously.

That is where health-care insurance comes in, failing which puts someone in a hole, wherein payment through the nose is destined without them even realising it—seriously financially overwhelming. A consultation for simple tests or treatments at a private clinic can sum up to hundreds of euros. Procedures for surgery and other serious procedures can run into thousands. With no insurance cover for such expenses, individuals risk falling into debt or having to compromise on necessary medical care.

For example, consider a 35-year-old British expat named Anna, who had chosen not to sign up for public health coverage in preference to travel insurance. She put herself into a tight spot when she needed to have some urgent dental surgery done. When she ended up paying more than €2,000 for the treatment because her policy did not cover any form of dental procedure, it shows how comprehensive health insurance can be essential to everyone.

Delayed Medical Care

You can also end up waiting for many months before you get medical care when there is not the proper insurance coverage. Hungary’s public health institutions have long waiting lists for some procedures that are not considered urgent; these could take a few months. For people who require medical attention that is considered to be life-threatening or those who have some chronic condition, these long delays could deteriorate their condition. The consequence of delayed medical care means complications could arise that might have been prevented had access been faster.

Limited Access to Good Health Care

The public health care in Hungary provides minimum facilities, but if you require something different or for advanced treatment, more so if you happen to be an expat, then you’ll have to look for private care. Depending on your insurance coverage for private services, this will translate into most probably waiting for a longer time and less personalised attention as given in the public sector.

Solution: How to Find Health Insurance in Hungary

How do you know that your health coverage is adequate in Hungary? The answer lies in understanding the different types of health insurance available to you and making the best choice for yourself.

1. Public Health Insurance in Hungary (NEAK)

The public health insurance system in Hungary is run by the NEAK. A percentage of the income of every working person in Hungary is deducted, thereby qualifying them for a very broad range of primary health care services such as general practitioner visits, specialist consultations, and emergency care.

• To be covered by public health insurance, you fall into one of two categories:
• A working individual in Hungary: Your employer signs you up.
• An EU national living in Hungary.
• A non-EU expat with a residency permit and valid employment contract.
• Public health insurance is relatively cheap, but access to it makes you wait in line for non-emergency treatments and does not provide the individualised attention you may be used to when seeing a private practitioner.

2. Private Health Insurance in Hungary

Private health insurance can be chosen by most expats and even Hungarian citizens, simply because waiting lists become too long to take seriously and also because the care is better personalised. Private health insurance is more comprehensive in Hungary: more doctors at your beck and call, more complex tests, and treatment at private hospitals. Private insurance expense is determined by the offeror, age, and service. The middle cost of the private health insurance monthly premium ranges between €50 and €200 depending on the level of policy coverage.

• Some of the most recognised providers of private insurance include;
• Generali: Comprehensive health plans with international coverage
• Allianz: Extensive health services cover for ex-pats
• Medicover: A popular option for private health clinics and customised health services.

3. Expats: Public or Private?

As an expat, the decision depends on your needs between public and private health insurance. If you are not bothered by the public system, then likely, public insurance would be sufficient for you. If the opposite is true and you want to see English-speaking doctors and get to see specialists quicker with more attention, then it should probably be private health insurance.

4. Public/Private Combined Insurance

Most Hungarians will opt for a combination of public and private health insurance in order to enjoy the best of both worlds. Routine checks and emergencies will largely be handled by the public services, whereas private insurance will be used as a means to gain quick access to specialist care and further advanced treatments.

Case Study: Successfully Navigating Hungary’s Healthcare System

Take, for example, Mark, an expat aged 45 years old who moved out from his home country, Germany, to Budapest for work. He relied entirely on the public health system, thinking that it would be the same as that back home. However, he found himself in a great hurry to get an urgent MRI scan because of severe backaches.

Mark discovered that the waiting list for the MRI scan was over three months. Disheartened by this, Mark turned to private health insurance. A week later, he had already scheduled an MRI at Medicover. An MRI was assigned to him within a week. Now, not only could Mark get diagnosed and have a treatment plan in place quickly, but he would also not be subjected to prolonged pain and discomfort as he would if he were to wait for the MRI allocation in the public system.

This experience highlights the need for a private health insurance plan in Hungary, particularly for expats who value quick access to healthcare services.

Conclusion: Getting Comprehensive Health Care in Hungary

Whether you intend to live in Hungary or work there, dealing with health insurance plans as a local or expat can indeed be daunting sometimes. The differences between public and private options are too many. Furthermore, you must know what kind of coverage you will have, if the chosen plan would do what you need it to, and more importantly, would such protection help you protect your health and money, too. Avoid late treatments and enormous medical bills by securing your health insurance today and make sure that you have everything covered along the way.

FAQs

Public and Private Health Insurance in Hungary

Public health insurance: government-funded with basic services. Private health insurance allows one to see a specialist more quickly to visit private hospitals that provide more individual care.

Do expats have to obtain private health insurance in Hungary?

Although public health insurance exists for foreigners in Hungary, they will mostly sign up for private health insurance to receive treatment much faster and more personalised.

How much does private health insurance cost in Hungary?

The cost of private health insurance will depend on the provider but may be anywhere from 50 to 200 euros a month, depending on the level of coverage.

Can I have public and private health insurance at the same time in Hungary?

Yes. Many residents choose to have both public and private health insurance as a means of availing themselves of the benefits of both systems.

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