By Laura Bower – Whether you’re a visitor to Türkiye or you live here full time, the question of how to pay for healthcare is important. In our last article we covered what happens if you are admitted to hospital in Türkiye. Today, we look at the different options for paying for healthcare: private health insurance, Turkish public health insurance (SGK), or cold, hard cash.
There is no legal obligation for foreigners to have health insurance in Türkiye, although depending on your citizenship and frequently changing regulations, it may make it easier to get a visa or residency permit.
Access to healthcare without insurance is straightforward. State hospitals, such as Didim Devlet Hospital, are used to treating foreign patients and have established payment systems for uninsured patients, as do private doctors and hospitals. Compared to the UK, prices are generally much lower and quality is high, with fast referrals, quick diagnostics, and minimal waiting times.
The downside of having no insurance is the financial risk if something serious happens. Large, unexpected medical costs can arise quickly, whether for emergency surgery, long-term care, or medical repatriation. These costs can run into tens of thousands of pounds, and even less dramatic treatments can still create a significant expense if you are paying everything yourself.
For visitors, travel insurance is usually the main solution. It typically covers healthcare during your stay and includes emergency repatriation if needed. A few banks and credit cards still offer travel insurance as a perk, but it is essential to check the small print carefully, particularly regarding maximum trip duration, upper age limits, and exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions. If you are buying travel insurance from the UK, comparison sites such as Moneysupermarket are a good port of call.
For residents, the choice is generally between Turkish public health insurance (SGK) and private. SGK is the national health system and provides access to a family doctor (GP equivalent), and state hospital treatment. It can also reduce costs in private hospitals that have agreements with SGK.
One key feature of SGK is that it is not risk-based. There is no requirement to declare existing conditions when enrolling. However, treatment pathways are determined by the Turkish healthcare system once you are registered, which can sometimes lead to confusion about pre-existing conditions.
While there is a common belief that SGK does not cover pre-existing conditions, this is not strictly accurate in legal terms. Instead, the system reassesses your condition and determines treatment according to its own protocols, which may differ from what you previously received elsewhere.
The cost of SGK is difficult to pinpoint due to inflation, but it is currently around 8,000 lira monthly for foreign residents. Foreign residents appear to pay more than Turkish citizens, with suggestions that the default for expat retirees is based on a previous means-testing system placing them in a higher band.
A crucial point about SGK is that while joining is voluntary, leaving is not. Once registered, you cannot simply opt out. To exit the system, you need to provide documentation to SGK from immigration authorities confirming that you are no longer resident. Without doing this, monthly premiums continue to accrue, even if you are no longer living in Türkiye.
Private health insurance operates differently. There are two main types: plans that are fully independent of SGK and plans that supplement it. Both are risk-assessed, meaning your medical history can affect both cost and coverage.
Independent policies typically provide access to networked private hospitals and may reimburse some out-of-pocket costs in others. Supplementary policies are designed to work alongside SGK, offering more comprehensive coverage.
Private insurance has the advantage of flexibility. Policies can usually be cancelled at renewal, making them a good option for those with uncertain long-term plans or fluctuating income. Some policies also include extras such as dental check-ups or general health screenings, although similar preventative care is available through the state system as well.
The main disadvantage of private insurance is that pre-existing conditions are generally excluded, and policies can contain various limitations and exclusions that need careful review.
In summary, the main options are paying as you go, using SGK voluntary state insurance, or taking out private health insurance. Each has clear advantages and disadvantages depending on your circumstances. SGK offers broad, exclusion-free coverage but requires long-term commitment. Private insurance offers flexibility but more restrictions. And for many situations, paying cash remains a practical and widely accepted option.