Uzbekistan Health Insurance for Expats

International Health Insurance for Expats in Uzbekistan

Expats seeking healthcare abroad will want to secure international health insurance to ensure maximum comprehensive coverage for not only themselves, but also their families. What this means is that expats can also add benefits like dental, vision, or maternity care on top of their default plans.

This guide by Pacific Prime will discuss healthcare in Uzbekistan, as well as the health insurance options and our recommendations for international health insurance plans so expats can craft a safety net for themselves and their families.

Recommended International Health Insurance Plans for Expatriates Living in Uzbekistan

The Healthcare System in Uzbekistan

Public healthcare consists of the national, regional, and district (or city) levels. However, on top of the subpar quality and uncertain hygiene, waiting times may be long and language barriers may be problematic. Meanwhile, the private alternative is generally preferred among expats.

Below, we’ll discuss the public and private healthcare systems in Uzbekistan.

Public Hospitals in Uzbekistan

The quality of healthcare in Uzbekistan is generally subpar, as seen in mostly poorly equipped and unhygienic hospitals with limited drug supplies. Additionally, there’s also no guarantee of proper medical equipment sterilization, particularly in rural hospitals.

Healthcare in Uzbekistan is state-funded and free of charge, allowing citizens to access healthcare for free. The public healthcare system in Uzbekistan consists of three main levels: national, regional, and district (or city) level.

Below are the three main levels of Uzbekistan’s public healthcare system:

• National: The national level of Uzbekistan’s public healthcare encompasses tertiary inpatient care in large hospitals and research institutes.
• Regional: Regional hospitals are located in urban areas and deliver inpatient care.
• District (City): Large district hospitals with multi-specialty outpatient units are available in rural areas. City hospitals are also available, delivering inpatient care, in urban areas.

Listed below is a notable public hospital in Uzbekistan:

• Samarkand Central City Hospital: This public hospital is located at 54 Ogakhiy Street in the city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan, allowing local citizens and expats in Uzbekistan to access healthcare.

Because it’s become common knowledge that the quality of healthcare in Uzbekistan is generally subpar, private healthcare is a preferred alternative among expats, which brings us to our next point.

Private Hospitals in Uzbekistan

Private hospitals, generally preferred among expats, offer a wide range of medical services such as inpatient and outpatient care as well as access to multilingual medical staff, the latter of which is excellent news for expats who do not speak the native language of the country.

Below are some prominent private hospitals in Uzbekistan:

• Tashkent International Clinic (TIC): Located in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, this hospital features multiple areas of medical services such as family medicine, men, women, and kids’ health for parents and children, physical therapy, dentistry, and many more.
• Horev Medical Center: This hospital in Tashkent features qualified doctors and a wide range of medical services such as dermatology, neurology, surgery, cardiology, and more.

Health Insurance Options for Expats in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s health insurance features public health insurance, which allows access to medical facilities but at the cost of delayed treatment due to crowded facilities or language barrier issues. The private health insurance alternative is generally preferred by expats due to increased benefits.

Below we will be discussing public and private health insurance for expats in Uzbekistan.

Public Health Insurance in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s public health insurance allows patients to access medical facilities for treatment but at the cost of potentially long waiting times and language barrier issues. Below are the key advantages and disadvantages of public health insurance in Uzbekistan:

• Medical Facility Accessibility: Public health insurance in Uzbekistan allows access to medical facilities for treatment for both expats and local citizens.
• Potentially Long Waiting Times: Regardless of whether the medical condition is deemed an emergency or not, waiting times can be longer and facilities may be excessively crowded.
• Communication Difficulties Due to Language Barrier: For those who don’t speak Russian, Uzbek, or Persian, a language barrier could prove problematic in communicating with or understanding medical staff in public hospitals in Uzbekistan.

Private Health Insurance in Uzbekistan

Private health insurance offers various additional benefits that add convenience for patients seeking healthcare in Uzbekistan. These may include free specialist selections, reduced waiting times, and more.

Below are notable advantages of private health insurance in Uzbekistan:

• Reduced Waiting Times: Private health insurance allows access to facilities with much shorter waiting times regardless of whether or not your medical condition is considered an emergency or not, ensuring you get the treatment you need in a timely manner.
• Free Specialist and Facility Selection: The other benefit of private health insurance is its ability to freely select any specific healthcare facility or specialist as you would like, which may include multilingual ones, which brings us to our next point.
• Multilingual Staff Access: Through the free specialist and facility selection feature of private health insurance, expats can select hospitals with multilingual medical staff if they do not speak the country’s native language, making communication and understanding much easier.
• Additional Benefits: Expats can also add any form of additional benefits on top of their default private health insurance plans to ensure maximum comprehensive coverage. This could include dental, vision, or maternity care, which would be useful for expats and their families.

Because of the subpar quality of hospitals in Uzbekistan as seen in poorly-equipped facilities and questionable medical equipment hygiene, all of which expats would not want when seeking healthcare, securing international health insurance is strongly recommended.

Not only will you be able to gain access to local healthcare in Uzbekistan, but assuming you happen to live in rural areas where hospitals are either subpar or outright inaccessible, medical evacuation will allow you to call for medical transportation to seek treatment overseas.

Best International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Uzbekistan

Recommended international health insurance providers for expats in Uzbekistan include prominent names such as AXA, Geoblue, and many more. Below we have a brief overview of each notable international health insurance provider.

AXA

AXA Global’s health insurance plans provide different levels of customizable coverage, which consists of hospitalization options, outpatient treatments, emergency care, and medical evacuation. Thanks to its flexibility, it’s easy to see why AXA’s plans are a favorite among expats.

Listed below are examples of shared coverage across all of AXA’s health insurance plans:

April International

April International, known for health insurance tailored to expats, offers plans with hospitalization, outpatient services, dental, and maternity coverage. Known for its user-friendly mobile claims and support, it also features a 24/7 telemedicine service and a vast direct billing network

Notable shared coverage across their plans include the following:

GeoBlue

The Xplorer health insurance plan from Geoblue comes in both essential and premier variations, crafted for expats traveling from the United States for leisure or business and studying purposes. Expats can also choose between worldwide coverage options with or without the US.

Below are some of the general shared features across Geoblue’s health insurance plans.

Factors to Consider When Securing Insurance in Uzbekistan

When it comes to selecting health insurance plans for an expat in Uzbekistan, numerous factors must be considered thoroughly. These may include pre-existing conditions, comprehensive benefits, and looking beyond the price point.

Below is a list of some crucial factors you should consider if you would like to secure health insurance plans for your time in Uzbekistan:

• Don’t Decide Based on Price Only: While affordable, the cheapest plan might not actually guarantee the most comprehensive coverage for you and your family, which brings us to our next point.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Be on the lookout for plans that cover all your healthcare priorities like inpatient and outpatient treatment, or other benefits like dental and vision care to ensure maximum coverage for not only yourself but also for your family.
• Pre-Existing Conditions: Do bear in mind that some insurers may not accept your application for a health insurance plan if you have any sort of injuries or illnesses at the time of application while some insurers will accept your application with a higher payment.
• Subpar Hospital Quality: Hospitals in Uzbekistan are not up to par in quality and medical equipment hygiene is questionable. Make sure your health insurance plan allows access to quality hospitals in the country or covers medical evacuation if you need to be sent to a better hospital elsewhere.

Health and Safety Recommendations for Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is known for its susceptibility to waterborne diseases due to contaminated water. Expats should also be mindful of what they eat and opt for freshly cooked food and pickpockets or mugging are also common. Below are key health and safety tips to keep in mind for expats in Uzbekistan:

• Contaminated Water and Waterborne Diseases: The most common health issues in Uzbekistan are mainly attributed to water contamination, leaving the general public vulnerable to hepatitis, typhoid, dysentery, cholera, and numerous types of cancer.
• Watch Out for Food Poisoning: As an expat, it’s crucial to be mindful of what you eat while in Uzbekistan. Carefully choose from street vendors throughout and refrain from pre-made food in favor of freshly-made meals to avoid food poisoning.
• Theft: While violent crimes in Uzbekistan are rare, non-violent crimes such as mugging, pickpocketing, robberies, unattended item thefts, and bag snatching are common in crowded places like bazaars or public transportation. Don’t bring too many valuables and do not leave your items unattended.
• Breaking and Entering: Aside from item theft, home break-ins and burglaries are also common in Uzbekistan. Expats should make sure all doors and windows are securely locked and install a security system like an alarm or CCTV if necessary.

What Vaccinations Do I Need for Uzbekistan?

There are various diseases that are still prevalent in Uzbekistan, which may already be rare in more developed countries. Hence, expats are recommended to get vaccinations for the following diseases:

• Tetanus-diphtheria
• Mumps
• Measles
• Rubella
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Rabies
• Polio
• Typhoid

Although vaccinations for the above-mentioned diseases are not required to enter the country, Uzbekistan’s supply of vaccines is critically low, so they may be difficult or highly expensive to obtain once in the country.

Furthermore, visitors should also bring adequate supplies of their own prescription medicines. Diarrhea medicine is recommended because the number one ailment for most travelers is diarrhea.

Many of these problems are associated with prolonged exposure to pollutants, such as the toxic dust that blows from the dried-up areas of the Aral Sea.

Emergency Numbers for Expats in Uzbekistan

In case of an emergency such as needing an ambulance for urgent medical attention, the cops, or the fire department, Uzbekistan features various emergency numbers available as listed below:

• Ambulance: 103
• Police: 102
• Fire Department: 101
• Ministry of Emergency Situations (MoES) Rescue Service (for natural disasters or other emergencies): 1050
• Tourist Police: 1173
• Emergency Gas Service: 104
• Unified Emergency Service for all emergencies: 112

Get a Health Insurance Quote Today

Pacific Prime can help you compare and select health insurance plans to ensure your maximum financial protection from medical emergencies. Our brokers, with over twenty years of experience, have helped many expats seek out suitable health insurance solutions for various needs.

Contact us today or compare quotes using our online quotation system!