Healthcare in Hungary

You want extra's then you pay for it out of pocket yourself.
It is a rather odd idea to think just because you make more money then a store clerk that your health is more important then their's is.
It is still a sort of socialist system with the National Health, it isn't the best system but better then nothing,
Everyone pays the same and is suppose to get the same treatment, you want more then you deal with it yourself or buy extra coverage yourself.
I have heard that there is another ter with national health for the wealthy, they pay something like $1,000. a month and they have no wait times for tests, private rooms and private clinics. Maybe you should look into that if the average coverage is not good enough for you.
If it is a huge issue for you then don't bother moving here if your health isn't great. I have been in hospital here in HU and one is lucky to make it out alive without more problems after leaving then when they checked in.
Many doctors  have left HU for western countries to make more money, health care is a business. Doctors, hospitals etc. don't want healthy people, there is no money in healthy people.
You want extra then you go to a private doctor and pay for extra's yourself.
I was told I need to get a liver 3 phase CT scan in the US, I had to come back to HU, no time to get my scan in the US.
Went 6 weeks back to my family doctor here in Budapest and asked if she could refer me to get my scan.
She said I should go pay for it myself as the wait time for a scan with national health is way too long.

It's entirely up to your employer, some might offer private healthcare as a perk. You also have the option to pay for private health insurance at Medicover or a similar company.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Everyone pays the same and is suppose to get the same treatment,

If you have income, then you're paying a percentage of that to social security, so the more money you make, the more you're paying, but you're getting the same sevice.

The private hospital system is not corporatised in Hungary. 

It's all small scale stuff for expat clinics and individual doctors doing their own thing out of their own offices. 

The large private hospital in Telki closed some years ago and is now (I suspect) a care home.

Interesting. So basically anyone born with a genetic illness or born with a disease is pretty much screwed there because of how long they would wait for appointments? Also if there family isn't wealthy enough to pay for really expensive medications extra from what the government may allow to pay for?

Thar's our way of understanding how it goes here in HU.
Guess you have not  noticed here and there the young people with  bad legs, twisted up either using a crutch or just limping along.
I never have noticed so many knock knee, or pigeon toed youths in my life as I see everyday here in HU.
My sisters and my niece had slightly flat feet, my mother paid a ton for leg braces and special shoes when they were just babies. This was in the US. I remember every few months my sisters needed their special shoes, cost my dad at least 2 months pay for every pair. Guess some things are more important in HU then straight legs.

Almost feels sometimes like I am in Calcutta,sad stuff.
I saw a nice looking young women here in Budapest just a couple years back who was totally missing one leg, she was using one crutch to get around with.
In the states she would of been fitted for a new leg one way or the other, we just don't see this much these days back home. It can be shocking here to see, sometimes people use it as an excuse to beg but often they are just people who are out of luck.
If it is not life threatening ,then you must wait or due without. You can get allot of modern surgery in HU but you have to pay out of pocket most times.
We attended a Harley Davidson music event  at  Lake Balaton a few years back in which all proceeds went to send a young lady to China for back surgery, she couldn't get the surgery in Hungary.
The National Health also doesn't cover med's, if you are over age 65 they give a slight discount but not much.
Don't forget if you use the national health and need to see the doctor often, then you had better tip  or maybe something might just slip their minds, like a much needed test or much needed referral.
It overall is cheaper sometimes to just pay out of pocket from the get go, by the time one waits and tips it almost comes out about even.
My HU/USA husband had a minor hernia operation  a couple years back here in Budapest.
I was not sure if I should laugh or cry . Husband had his $300. tip tucked between his legs pre surgery, he was 100% naked as they do here, who wastes money on hospital gowns here,he had it ready to give before surgery as he told me he wanted to make sure he woke up afterwards!
The doctor looked embarrassed in front of the group residents watching the surgery and gave it all to them. Pizza and beer night for all!!

WeberYupper wrote:

Interesting. So basically anyone born with a genetic illness or born with a disease is pretty much screwed there because of how long they would wait for appointments?

No, they are not "screwed". But if one is on national health, which is suffering fiscal issues at the moment (our local hospital was shut down for example), then the most needing people do get priority. So while everyone "should" receive treatment, it may take time depending on the severity of their condition. After all, National Health is a bureaucracy, so will, almost by definition, not function rapidly in non-emergency cases. So it is like dealing with the VA in the USA.

WeberYupper wrote:

Also if there family isn't wealthy enough to pay for really expensive medications extra from what the government may allow to pay for?

Medication in Europe is typically much less expensive than in the USA because of government price controls. And people that show fiscal need get medication at even deeper discounts or for free from National Health. But expats rarely fall in to that category of fiscal need, so tend to pay more.

I am mentioning all this so you get a balanced view of the issue. But, are there otherwise, and in addition, other issues with health care in Hungary that one should be aware of? Yes. And it is complex. Which is why, overall and to put is simplistically, if you have a pre-existing condition, that requires special medication**, I would personally not suggest a move to Hungary at this time.

** P.S. I am pretty sure, by the way, you could get your medication in Hungary. If you can get it in Germany, then due the entire EU movement of goods idea, it can be shipped to Hungary (if is is not already available here). What you may be charged for it, is another matter.

klsallee wrote:

** P.S. I am pretty sure, by the way, you could get your medication in Hungary. If you can get it in Germany, then due the entire EU movement of goods idea, it can be shipped to Hungary (if is is not already available here). What you may be charged for it, is another matter.

Some meds are just not available in Hungary even if they are used in other EU countries.  So, yes, you can get them from other countries via licensed pharmacies. I only know of one pharmacy in Budapest, near Keleti station where you can get foreign meds by ordering them.

Click me: Pharma Expressz

I should say a significant premium is paid for meds not on the approved list - I tried just the other day for a oral vaccine which is easily available OTC in Canada and cheaper mail order in the UK with an (unnecessary) online prescription. 

Hungary (d'oh!) does not allow personal meds imports directly unlike some other countries (UK, Canada, USA, Croatia etc) so you have to get them through a pharmacy.

Yes often when we tip the doc after a visit we then realize we may of over tipped after we pay for the meds they gave us on top of the tips.
I personally tired of tipping.
Went to the same dermatologist at least 4 times, always tipped her and I still get  my rash attacks, seems she has never properly figured out what cream is best for me.
Was given some pills for my rash that cost about $1.50 a pill, sort of pricey for HU, didn't even bother to fill the script after I realized it was probably just another of her misdiagnosis.
Saw a doc in the states for my rash and got a whole different bottle of pills.