Whether you’re seeking cosmetic, surgical or routine care in Turkey, you’ll be pleased to know that the standards of healthcare have improved over the years. As a result, Turkey is quickly becoming known for its health tourism industry. But just how much do procedures cost? Read on to find out!
Understanding Turkey’s healthcare system
Before we get into figures, it’s important to note that there are three different ways in which you can receive healthcare in Turkey:
• Universal health insurance
• Personal health insurance
• Private healthcare
However, each type comes with its own limitations, as not all treatments and procedures are covered.
Universal health insurance
In Turkey, if you are eligible for universal health insurance (known in Turkey as Genel Sağlık Sigortası), you will be covered for an array of care and medical procedures if you need them.
The healthcare service is available to Turkish citizens, people with a Turkish residence permit, and foreign nationals who have lived in Turkey for longer than one year. In order to use the country’s universal health insurance, you must first apply, and to do this you’ll need to register with the Social Security Institution (SGK). Once you have registered, you’ll be given access, and you’ll be able to receive medical treatment from hospitals contracted to the SGK free of charge.
The types of treatment you’ll be eligible for will depend upon your medical history and medical requirements, but typically you’ll be covered for:
• All emergency treatment
• Infectious diseases
• Childbirth
• Work-related accidents and vocational illnesses
• Fertility treatment
• Injuries from extraordinary events, such as a natural disasters or war
• Prescription drugs
In most cases, dental care and cosmetic surgery are not covered. However, some treatments, such as dental implants, dentures, braces and medically necessary cosmetic surgery, may be covered—this is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Personal health insurance
Whenever you are travelling, whether for work or pleasure, it’s always advisable to have insurance in place—after all, you never know when you may require it.
What is covered by personal insurance varies greatly. Whilst policies offer certain products as standard, these can be amended to suit a specific individual’s requirements. For example, somebody with a pre-existing heart condition may pay an additional premium in order to receive coverage for their future heart requirements. Therefore, it’s important to read your insurance documents, so that you know exactly what is covered by your health insurance policy. If you don’t have a copy of your policy wording, call your provider and quote your policy reference number, and they can arrange to have a copy sent to you.
Once you know what is covered under your premium, you may find that there are limitations on certain treatments. For example, there may be a 300 EUR cap on dental treatment. This is often to prevent people from abusing their policies for cosmetic reasons. However, if you require emergency dental treatment, this often falls under a separate section.
As standard, insurance policies tend to cover emergency treatment, but outside of this, you will see numerous variations, as each policy provider offers something slightly different. For example, maintenance and routine healthcare are often included in policies, but you’ll find that work requested for cosmetic purposes, such as a nose job or breast augmentation, is often denied unless deemed medically necessary—such as in the case of breathing difficulties or chronic backache. Outside of this, most conditions (that aren’t pre-existing) are covered.
Private healthcare
If you’re not eligible for healthcare insurance, or you would prefer to pay for treatment yourself, you will have plenty of options. In the private sector, you are likely to experience shorter waiting times, and because you’re footing the bill, a wider range of treatments and services will be available to you. This is mainly because providers will not have to worry about whether something is covered by an insurance policy! However, if you’re looking to pay for your own healthcare, it’s important to know how much different health procedures cost. Read on for more information.
How much do health procedures cost in Turkey compared to in the United Kingdom?
Below is a list of surgical procedures and their prices in the United Kingdom:
• Coronary angioplasty: 13,000 GBP
• Knee replacement: 13,700 GBP
• Hip replacement: 11,700 GBP
• Prostate removal: 6,500 GBP
In Turkey, these same procedures cost:
• Coronary angioplasty: 6,000 EUR
• Knee replacement: 7,100 EUR
• Hip replacement: 6,700 EUR
• Prostate removal: 4,900 EUR
Below is a list of dental procedures and their prices in the United Kingdom:
• Tooth whitening: 300 GBP
• Dentures: 1,000 GBP
• Crown: 690 GBP
• Dental implants: 3,300 GBP
In Turkey, these same procedures cost:
• Tooth whitening: 230 EUR
• Dentures: 500 EUR
• Crown: 230 EUR
• Dental implants: 1,400 EUR
Below is a list of cosmetic surgery procedures and their prices in the United Kingdom:
• Breast augmentation: 6,500 GBP
• Tummy tuck: 7,300 GBP
• Face lift: 9,700 GBP
• Nose surgery: 5,300 GBP
• Liposuction: 4,000 GBP
In Turkey, these same procedures cost:
• Breast augmentation: 3,500 EUR
• Tummy tuck: 3,500 EUR
• Face lift: 3,500 EUR
• Nose surgery: 3,500 EUR
• Liposuction: 2,700 EUR
Below is a list of ophthalmologic procedures and their prices in the United Kingdom:
• LASIK eye surgery: 2,000 GBP
• Cataract removal: 4,000 GBP
In Turkey, these same procedures cost:
• LASIK eye surgery: 1,400 EUR
• Cataract removal: 1,800 EUR
The prices for these treatments will vary, depending upon which clinic you choose and your individual needs.
Some more sample costs are listed below:
• IVF infertility treatment: 3,000 EUR
• Radiation therapy: 8,900 EUR
• Knee replacement: 13,500 EUR
• Aortocoronary bypass: 16,000 EUR
It’s important to shop around and weigh up your options. Ensure that you take into account the quality of the care you will receive, rather than just how much it will cost you, as your health is important.