Are you moving abroad? You have probably already considered the career opportunities, the housing, quality of life, and cost of living. But what about the cost and quality of healthcare? To help you make the best decision for you and your family, and to give you a heads-up on what to expect in your destination, Expat.com offers an insight into the countries with the best healthcare systems in the world.
Quality healthcare in Europe
Europe has some of the best healthcare systems in the world according to several reports. For example, the Legatum Institute in London gives the highest credit to Luxembourg along with Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany. With a life expectancy of 82, Luxembourg is said to have the best health infrastructure in Europe, with high-tech equipment that supports physical, mental health and preventive care services.
If you are planning to expatriate in Luxembourg, but you will not be working, you will need a health insurance to apply for a resident permit.
Switzerland is praised for its universal healthcare system. Indeed, healthcare is one of the country's top priorities, accounting for about 10% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Thanks to its modern hospitals equipped with the latest technologies along with highly skilled health professionals, Switzerland has one of the lowest child mortality rates in the world and highest life expectancy.
Expectedly, all these come at a price making Switzerland one of the most expensive European countries for healthcare. Expats have to subscribe to a health insurance within three months of their arrival to be entitled to any healthcare.
With a greater population life span, 83.7 years for women and 80.1 years for men, Sweden also has an excellent healthcare system. Responsibilities are shared by the government among municipalities and county councils. According to the Swedish health policy, all residents are entitled to quality health and medical care.
It is worth noting that county councils also provide dental care for residents aged up to 20.
Cheaper healthcare in Central America
The USA is known to have one of the costliest healthcare systems in the world, both in the public and private sectors. This is one of the reasons why US citizens, especially retirees, move elsewhere to receive healthcare. For instance, Mexico is known as a retirement haven thanks to its high-quality healthcare that costs only a fraction of the US price.
In fact, Americans visit Mexico for cheaper dental care and medical treatment every year. Other big and medium-sized cities have equally good and affordable health facilities provided by physicians who have been trained in the USA, Canada, and Europe.
Expatriates in Mexico can choose between the public health system that secures essential care at a low price. Private healthcare is also very affordable, especially for those having insurance. A visit to the doctor, for example, can cost between $30 and $40 — three times less than in the USA.
Other Central American countries, such as Costa Rica and Colombia have also been attracting many expatriates for their low-cost but high quality healthcare services. Medical tourism has significantly developed over the past few years thanks to the different healthcare standards around the world.
Medical tourism boom in Asia
Given the high healthcare costs in Western countries, such as the USA, Canada, and Europe, more expatriates are turning to South-east Asian countries like Malaysia. In fact, medical tourism in Malaysia is booming over the past few years. The country has not only some of the most skilled doctors in the whole region but also robust infrastructure.
Malaysia hosts eight Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals and several non-profit but professional hospitals. According to the International Living magazine, over one million medical tourists visited Malaysia in 2016. Figures are expected to rise in 2017.
Many other Asian countries, such as China, South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia are also well known for their quality healthcare services. In 2016, however, the World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended that China revises its healthcare system to be in line with the current demand. China is world famous for providing universal healthcare to its citizens and for its decentralised healthcare services.
With an average life expectancy of 83.1 years old – Singapore's healthcare system ranks among the best in the world. In 2000, the WHO ranked Singapore sixth out of 191 countries for its overall performance. In 2014, it came out second among 166 other countries in a study carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Over the past few years, Singapore's healthcare system has been ranking among the top five in Bloomberg's annual Health Care Efficiency Index.
Excellent healthcare in Australia and New Zealand
Australia and New Zealand are known to have good healthcare systems performing well on an international scale. With an average life expectancy of 81 years and first-class infrastructures accommodating the latest technologies, Australia ranks 11th in the world. The Australian government also provides coverage for medical and hospital care expenses to its citizens and subsidises the cost of most medical products.
Compared to other OEDC (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, such as Canada, the USA and Germany, New Zealand is also well-regarded for its timely and efficient healthcare system. Moreover, New Zealand hospitals are modern and well equipped, attracting many healthcare professionals over the past years.
