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Experience with health care in Hungary,

Last activity 27 December 2023 by Marilyn Tassy

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cdw057

I was relatively happy, but they are slow, very slow.

Good experiences, annual letter from hospital for breast cancer, easy to get medicines for cholesterol, easy for checks for driving lisense, dictor saying I should really eat more, ... very good things (not expresissively expressed, but doctors still appreciate a small tip (also the secretary)

But in my view not bad at all in Hungary (including Cataract treatment)

We paid from my company the monthly contributions (very cheap (perhaps too cheap))


In Turkey we are on private insurance company (EUR 250 for the two of us), but the service is excellent and fast. (emboly, epilepsy, and for my wife also some checks). I felt like a 3/4 star hotel (spent 5 days there (of course no alcohol and for smoking I had to go outside). Very nice nurse if they take blood a few times per day and infuses are very very regular. (so be it).


I did not have the experience in Hungary, but I think also not too bad.

SimCityAT

(of course no alcohol and for smoking I had to go outside).
   

    -@cdw057


It would be best if you went to a Private hospital in Austria, they sell alcohol, and they even have a list at the bedside. 

fluffy2560


    (of course no alcohol and for smoking I had to go outside).         -@cdw057

It would be best if you went to a Private hospital in Austria, they sell alcohol, and they even have a list at the bedside. 
   

    -@SimCityAT


Can you have anything like spirits or cocktails?  Or is it just wine?

Marilyn Tassy


    (of course no alcohol and for smoking I had to go outside).         -@cdw057

It would be best if you went to a Private hospital in Austria, they sell alcohol, and they even have a list at the bedside. 
   

    -@SimCityAT


Swizerland is another country that serves a wine list in hospitals.

I think in Hungarty it all, BYO( Bring your own)

SimCityAT


        (of course no alcohol and for smoking I had to go outside).         -@cdw057It would be best if you went to a Private hospital in Austria, they sell alcohol, and they even have a list at the bedside.          -@SimCityAT

Can you have anything like spirits or cocktails?  Or is it just wine?
   

    -@fluffy2560


Beer as well, but not sure about spirits

Marilyn Tassy

Goodness ,if not landing in hospital isn't bad enough, drinking while being monitored isn't exactly what I'd call being ill enough to be in hospital.

In Hungary you must bring in your own drinking water, salt, knife, spoon, fork, soap,

TP and anything beyond what they provide. ( Which isn't much)

They give a basic sheet and cover and pillow, no soap, towels etc. are given , BYO.

Things I'd recommend bringing is ear plugs and an eye mask.

I brought 2 suitcases and a back pack of supplies with me for a 5 day stint.

One was full of items like TP, drinking water, a few fresh towels, extra PJ's and even my own bed pillow.

They don't come around often to see if you need anything to drink so you'd better BYO or settle for a cup of tap water.

Fresh lemons are good to bring to change up the borning taste of water.

When I checked out  I left allot of supplies for either the trash can or if anyone else was running low and could use my extras.

I can't believe you must bring in your own TP but it's best to not take any chances. In fact they usually give out a supply list before admitting you in.

I don't think the prices are cheap here for admission.

I know it is  partly paid out of gv. funds but people work hard here and are taxed at a high rate to help pay for medical services.

In the US the care isn't always better, maybe better equipment and they supply the TP but for the price of health insurnace, it's a bad deal overall.

I was studying different US health plans and it's crazy. You almost need a PHD to figurte it all out.

Co-pays and hidden extras in the US.

My brother's health insurnace in the US spent well over $300,000 on his care, perhaps more since he went to 2 different cancer clinics, top of the line ones.

All within a years time and he still passed from a simple blood infection that was not on their radar.

Spending  more doesn't mean better care, more comfort perhaps but not better care.

My friend's husband in the US was given the same treatment for an illness that I had here in Hungary.

His care cost insurnace over $98,000 for his 6 weeks of care. ( He was chared $9,800 out of pocket with his senior health care coverage, his co-pay amount)

I was in hospital for 5 days so that would bring it up a good $10,000 or more per day just to have a bed in hospital in the US.

Yes, having a power bed is fun but come on...

Davidpaulmitchell236512

I fell and hurt my ankle after 2 days of pain i had a xray local hospital the doctor was rude didnt want to treat me i had to remind him lots of Hungarian people are having treatment in england anyway had xray told not broken told to come back in the morning and i saw a new doctor who told me it was broken all i can say is i not had a good time in hungary with any service i had every thing i had done here was wrong had car service put to much oil not just a bit 2 time more then needed

fluffy2560


    I fell and hurt my ankle after 2 days of pain i had a xray local hospital the doctor was rude didnt want to treat me i had to remind him lots of Hungarian people are having treatment in england anyway had xray told not broken told to come back in the morning and i saw a new doctor who told me it was broken all i can say is i not had a good time in hungary with any service i had every thing i had done here was wrong had car service put to much oil not just a bit 2 time more then needed         -@Davidpaulmitchell236512


Too much oil is not good.  You should have the proper amount in the car.  That's what the dipstick is for.   That and measuring how many litre containers you've used and knowing what it says in the handbook.


I've been treated as a day case in a HU hospital for a slow burning emergency and they weren't that bad BUT it took a long time to be seen.  The treatment was rather too conservative (careful) and they did not have the best equipment.  Did they fix me? I don't think so.  I had to seek a second opinion.


Meanwhile, my MIL is quite sick and the healthcare isn't really helping properly.  We think she's going to die as she's really messed up with kidney failure. We cannot get a proper prognosis from the medics.  They don't really want to say what the outcome and time frames might be.  She's too sick to even go to the doctor to be checked out. We need to know because she should either be in a hospice or a care home.  She's no longer able to live on her own without 24h care.

Marilyn Tassy


    I fell and hurt my ankle after 2 days of pain i had a xray local hospital the doctor was rude didnt want to treat me i had to remind him lots of Hungarian people are having treatment in england anyway had xray told not broken told to come back in the morning and i saw a new doctor who told me it was broken all i can say is i not had a good time in hungary with any service i had every thing i had done here was wrong had car service put to much oil not just a bit 2 time more then needed         -@Davidpaulmitchell236512


I hope your ankle has healed now.

My sister broke hers in her late 60's while riding her motorbike.

Had to have cadvar bone put in, laid her up for a long while.

I know I had orthoscopic knee surgery in Budapest,Made my knee worst.

I was told I'd be on crutches for 10 days, turned into 18 months!

A week post surgery the surgeon said he didn't know why my knee was still so swollen and said he did the best he could??

Went back to the US and had a shot in my knee then some PT for 2 months.

Worked after that.

I have had the big run around in Hungary with a shoulder issue, was handed over to about 4 doctors and none did a thing. Even was almost admitted for shoulder sugery then they denyed it, said they didn't ahve an extra bed. Finally went in to an out paitent hospital in the weehours out in Budaors. Put me out and everything. All they did was take photos with a scope inside my shoulder and never fixed the issue.

In the end I had the issue sort of taken care of as an out patient in a local surgery.

Of course they gave me an infection in my stitches and shoulder.

Let's see infection in a tooth surgery, infection in my shoulder, infection in my stomach and an infected in my lady parts from a simple female exam!

I thought Hungary was known for discovering the benefits of sanitation!

I think it depends on what dept. of medicine you need.

I've had iffy experiences with ortho, gyno. dental but oncology so far takes things seriously.

( Some office clerks have however mixed up the dates for a test here and there. Nice after you have taken a prep for an exam already)

I do remember many years ago I went somewhere in a clinic for a tiny skin cancer spot. No biggie, they come and go thanks to my years of oversunning.

Anyways in the waiting room a sad foriegn guy shouted out very loud that,

"no one cares if I die".

At the time I was sorry for him but thought he might be overacting. NO, sad to say he probably ran into the one of many doctors and staff who really don't care.

My HU husband says many see you as a dollar sign, they measure you up and try to figure out if they can get a ,"gift" out of you or not.

I'm glad they have made it illegal to tip but they left open a loop hole where you can still,"gift" doctors up to 45,000 Forints, suppose to be in a material gift but I'm not sure they don't see an envelope full of bills as a material gift.

We think but who knows, that many doctors and others in high paying fields just get into that field to make big bucks and really don't have a clue abut being a real caring doctor.

The age of greed is here.

My husband says he thinks they give you the big run around hoping you give up and don't bother them.

I know when I was treated for cancer I had to get radiation 5 days per week. The place was packed with people waiting their turn to get zapped.

I literally was waiting a min. of 2 1/4th hours each day just to be called into the dressing room.

Once it was nearly 3 1/2 hours, myself and few other ladies almost had a riot, even then I noticed a man who I asume was getting the same area of his body zapped,( They set up the machine for certain body areas and try to get as many people in who are getting the same region treated, faster to not have to reset the position of the machine so often) well, this guy always came in later then most people and left sooner. I figure he tipped someone or knew someone.

So about a good 4 hours a day was spent just trying to get to and from treatment and having treatments for over 6 weeks. ( Once or twice on a slow Friday it only took about an hour to hear my name called... I would jump for joy just about!)

I can tell you, they need to fix the system, it's broken.

In the states they actually give appointments for treatments and if anyone waits more then 30 mins they have a fit. Here the cure is worst then the illness.

I was the only American and only the 2nd foriegner in the place. They did treat me like everyone else though, easy when everyone is being treated like cattle.

I'm fine now and plan on not seeing doctors again for a long , long while.

Marilyn Tassy

Oh Shoot, I forgot about the eye infection I got post cataract surgery.

First eye did well , secnd got infected.

That hurt more then a mother...

Blinding pain in the head.

Followed doctors orders to the letter too, did my drops and wore my patch etc.

That makes about 5 infections that I can recall.

Not very good stats.

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