Romania Health Insurance for Expats

International Health Insurance for Expats in Romania

Though Romanian public health insurance can cover most medical needs, many expats still secure a private health insurance plan to access private healthcare with more medical resources. A proof of medical coverage is also mandatory for non-EU expats applying for the resident status.

Pacific Prime can offer you the best plan for your healthcare needs, and at a great price too! Click here for a free personalized quote, or read on to find out more about the healthcare system and your healthcare coverage options in Romania.

Recommended International Health Insurance Plans for Expatriates Living in Romania

The Healthcare System in Romania

Compared to other European countries, the standard of healthcare in Romania is relatively poor. Many public facilities lack medical staff, adequate equipment, and repair. Expats usually seek care from private facilities where there are well-trained English-speaking staff and modern equipment.

Though Romania produces a large number of medical graduates, most medical staff opt to emigrate to wealthier European countries due to Romania’s chronic underfunding of their public healthcare system. This has resulted in Romania having one of the lowest physicians per population ratios in Europe.

The persisting underfunding of the public healthcare system also means many public hospitals have limited resources and equipment, such as intensive care beds with ventilators and data to develop comprehensive cancer screening service.

Expats seeking quality medical care are advised to visit private clinics and hospitals, which are available in the major cities such as Bucharest. The private system offers teams of English-speaking staff and a high quality of service that is comparable to the Western standard.

Public Hospitals in Romania

Public hospitals in Romania tend to offer lower quality care than other hospitals in Europe. Some of Romania’s public hospitals include Emergency Hospital Floreasca and Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children.

Emergency Hospital Floreasca

Telephone: 021-599-2300 / 021-962 (emergency line)
Website: http://www.urgentafloreasca.ro

Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children “Marie Sklodovska Curie”

Telephone: 021-460-4260

Private Hospitals in Romania

Most Romanian residents prefer private hospitals over public hospitals for their quality of care and shorter wait times. Some of Romania’s private hospitals include Medicover clinics, Medlife,, Regina Maria Baneasa Hospital, and Sanador Medical Center.

Medicover Clinics

Telephone: 021-9896
Website: http://www.medicover.ro/

Medlife

Telephone: 021-9646
Website: http://www.medlife.ro/

Regina Maria Baneasa Hospital

Telephone: 021-9268
Website: http://www.reginamaria.ro

Sanador Medical Center

Telephone: 021-9699
Website: http://www.sanador.ro/

Health Insurance Options in Romania for Expats

Although the Romanian public healthcare system provides discounted or free health services for any residents enrolled in the Social Security System, expats included, many expats still opt to have private health insurance plans in place to bypass overburdened public health services.

In this section, we will discuss the Romanian public health insurance system, how you can register for it as an expat, your other health insurance options, and why many still opt to take private health insurance plans for seamless healthcare coverage in Romania.

Romanian Public Health Insurance

Public health insurance is available in Romania through the National Health Insurance House (NHIS) or the CNAS in Romanian. Expats moving to Romania can enroll in this public insurance scheme and receive discounted or free health services from public healthcare providers.

To be eligible for the public health insurance in Romania, expats must:

• Heave a resident status
• Contribute to the social security system

Anyone staying in Romania longer than 3 months must obtain a resident status. If you are working for a Romanian employer, your employer will automatically deduct 5.5% of your remuneration for the social security system and copay another 5.2% for you.

If you are self-employed or unemployed, you can make voluntary contributions to the social security system and be eligible for public health insurance.

To do so, you need to hand in your tax declaration to the tax authorities, Agenția Națională de Administrare Fiscală (ANAF), and arrange your social security contributions. After that you can register for your public insurance with the NHIS.

Some people will automatically be eligible for public health insurance without contributing to social security, including:

• Children under the age of 18
• Students between the age of 18–26 with no income
• People with disability
• Expecting mothers who earn below minimum wage

The Romanian public health insurance scheme provides coverage for most of the health services you need, including consultation with general practitioners and specialists, inpatient care, medication, and some basic dental care.

Some services will be available free of charge, such as admission to a public hospital. Some will require a certain amount of co-payment such as outpatient medication which usually requires out-of-pocket co-payment.

Private medical services will not be covered by the Romanian public health insurance scheme.

While the Romanian public health insurance scheme could provide sufficient coverage for most of expats’ day-to-day healthcare needs, many expats still take out private health insurance plans, bearing in mind the overburdened state of the Romanian public health service.

You might find public hospitals with inadequate numbers of staff, insufficient medical resources, and infrastructures in need of repair. These three factors are crucial as they are major parts of your care experience.

Some medical services are also largely privately funded such as dental care. Outpatient medications will also have varying levels of coverage from the public health insurance system, with the maximum copayment at 80% of the price of the drug.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for Residents of the EU Countries

EHIC provides residents of the EU countries the same benefits as those insured under the Romanian public health insurance scheme for certain ‘necessary care’ during their temporary stay in Romania.

This necessary care generally includes:

• Emergency medical service
• Routine medical care for pre-existing or chronic medical conditions
• Routine maternity care

Note that EHIC is not an alternative to a travel or a private medical insurance plan as the EHIC:

• Does not provide coverage for medical evacuation
• Does not provide coverage for private medical care
• Does not provide coverage or reimbursement for any flight cancellation, lost luggage, or repatriation flight
• Will not provide coverage if the sole purpose of your trip is to receive medical care abroad.

EHIC can be a good option for those looking to stay in Romania temporarily or shorter than 6 months. If you are planning to stay in Romania for an extended period of time, the public health insurance or a private insurance plan will be a better choice for comprehensive health coverage.

To be eligible for the EHIC, you must be a legal resident of a member of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom and are insured under the social security system of your country.

You can obtain the EHIC by contacting the public health insurance authority of your country.

Private Health Insurance in Romania

Proof of private health insurance is mandatory for non-EU expats moving to Romania for an extended stay. You will need to submit your proof of health coverage as you apply for your resident status. Therefore, you should make sure you secure your health insurance plan before arriving in Romania.

Private health insurance will also be useful to you beyond your immigration application. The Romanian public healthcare system is generally overburdened, underfunded, and understaffed, making wait time extremely long and medical resources severely limited.

Private health insurance ensures you have seamless access to private healthcare, with modern facilities and English-speaking staff.

Certain medical services are also not included in your public health insurance coverage. Chief among them is dental care. Though basic dental care is covered by the public health insurance, the majority of dental care in Romania must be paid out of pocket.

By securing private health insurance, you can ensure that you have coverage tailor-fitted to your needs.

Private Health Insurance Options for Expats in Romania

International health insurance, local health insurance, and travel insurance are leading private health insurance options for expats in Romania. Each comes with different premiums and coverage depending on your needs and the length and the location of your stay.

You can find more details about each option below:

International Health Insurance

International health insurance ensures that you can enjoy comprehensive healthcare coverage virtually anywhere in the world. This type of medical insurance plan is ideal for expats and frequent travelers, as it features emergency evacuation and repatriation benefits.

Local Health Insurance

While in most cases local health insurance is cheaper than international health insurance, local health insurance will only cover you in Romania. If you plan to spend most of your time in Romania, then this type of plan may be the best option for you.

Travel Insurance

Best suited for short trips, travel insurance provides coverage for emergency medical treatment and repatriation costs plus other mishaps such as flight cancellations and stolen baggage. If you’re visiting Romania for a short period of time, a travel insurance policy may be all that you require.

Recommended International Health Insurance Plans for Expatriates Living in Romania

Pacific Prime works with the top insurers worldwide to ensure clients have the best selection of insurance plans that meet their needs and budgets. Take a look below for some of the insurers we work with.

Looking for more benefits? Do you need coverage for your family or your dental care as well? Get in touch with our experts now to tailor plans and compare quotes specifically for you!

AXA

AXA global health insurance offers both short-term and long-term plans for expats and travelers, with comprehensive coverage for any medical needs.

Some examples of shared coverage by all AXA insurance plans include:

Cigna Global

Cigna Global provides flexible insurance plans to expats. They offer their members 24/7 access to a customer care team and access to any private hospitals and private clinics. Their plans are both customizable and comprehensive.

Cigna has a Silver, Gold, and Platinum plan with different levels of coverage. All three of these plans share several common key coverage benefits:

What is the Cost of International Health Insurance in Romania?

The cost of international health insurance in Romania will vary depending on your age, coverage requirements, health, etc. Our Cost of International Health Insurance Report 2023 reveals that the average cost of health insurance in Romania for an individual plan is USD $3,921.

The average cost of international health insurance for a family plan is USD $10,797.

Other kinds of plans may have differing costs such as couples plans or retirees plans. By working with insurance brokers like Pacific Prime, you can easily compare quotes and details of each plan with assistance from our experts. Contact us now!

Other Health and Safety Advice for Expats in Romania

Most expats do not experience particular harms in Romania. Along with common safety precautions, keep up with your routine vaccinations and take caution when traveling on country roads to ensure a happy and healthy time in Romania.

Recommended Vaccinations

Besides keeping up to date with your routine vaccinations (e.g. the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine), it’s also advised to get the Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and rabies vaccine.

Measles Outbreak

Romania has seen a recurring measles outbreak since 2022. Between January to May 2024, there have been 15,763 measles cases reported in Romania with 16 deaths, emphasizing the importance of keeping up to date with your routine vaccinations.

Road Safety

Though major streets and roads in Romania are generally in good condition, secondary roads can be in a poor state of repair. In rural areas, horse-drawn carts, livestock and stray dogs share many roads. Travelers should take caution when driving, especially at night and during winter months.

Traveling to Hilly and Mountainous Regions

Much of Romania is mountainous or hilly. If you’re planning on traveling to destinations of 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) or higher, be sure to take the necessary precautions to prevent rapid ascent as it can put you at a higher risk of altitude sickness.

Emergencies

The emergency number in Romania is 112. This number covers all emergency services, including the police, fire department, and ambulance. Please note that ambulance services might be limited in rural areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is health insurance mandatory in Romania?

A proof of medical coverage is mandatory for non-EU expats when applying for resident status in Romania. Non-EU expats should make sure they have secured a private health insurance plan before arriving in Romania.

Is healthcare free in Romania?

Certain health services, such as public hospital admission, will be available for free for those insured under the Romanian public health insurance. However, some services such as outpatient medication and rehabilitation might require significant co-payment.

How good is healthcare in Romania?

Healthcare in major cities of Romania boasts efficient and well-equipped infrastructures with well-trained and experienced staff. However, many public hospitals in Romania still suffer from staff and funding shortage as well as outdated healthcare systems, especially in the rural regions.

Conclusion

Expats are recommended to secure an international health insurance plan prior to their arrival in Romania, first for your smooth visa and resident status application process and secondly for your seamless access to private healthcare wherever you go.

Though Romanian public health insurance provides comprehensive coverage for most healthcare needs, you will need a resident status to enroll in the system. The public healthcare system is also under chronic underfunding, with not enough staff and resources for all patients.

Expats are advised to seek care from private facilities, where they can find well-trained medical staff, ready to assist expats who may not speak Romanian, and modern, or even world-class, facilities.

Contact our experts now to compare quotes and secure the insurance plan that works best for you!