Beginning April 1, 2025, several public hospitals around Turkey will accept foreigners’ basic health insurance. With improved monitoring and wider accessibility, this long-overdue reform represents a dramatic change in the country’s approach to health care coverage for foreign residents and expatriates. However, significant price hikes are anticipated in tandem with this service expansion, which would drastically change the insurance market.
Health Insurance for foreigners living in Turkey
Expats have long been the target of questionable insurance programmes—policies that are marketed under official titles but provide little to no actual medical coverage. Instead of providing actual health coverage, these so-called insurance plans—which were frequently offered for as cheap as ₺500 ($13.16) to ₺1,000—acted just as a formality checkbox for applications for residency permits. Such inefficient policies will be phased out under the new regulatory framework, which will guarantee that all insurance products adhere to a state-supervised standard.
The extension of legitimate coverage into public hospitals, especially in smaller places where private medical facilities are sometimes insufficient, is arguably the initiative’s greatest significant advantage. However, at first, only emergency treatments will be covered in state facilities. Future revisions to Turkey’s health insurance regulations will include more details regarding planned visits and elective operations.
A change in Turkey’s health insurance market
The overhaul has financial ramifications even though it guarantees policyholders enhanced safety. The price of international health insurance is anticipated to increase dramatically from April 1, 2025. Insurance firms will now send profit shares to the government directly rather than paying exorbitant charges to agencies.
New Insurance proposals means more expensive and extensive coverage for foreigners living in Turkey
Insurers will also demand upfront payments before to granting policies, and annual minimum coverage limitations will be modified. This implies that although insurance will cost more, it will also be much more useful—providing legal access to medical care instead of just being a requirement for applying for a visa.
We have created an extensive chart below to assist in navigating these changes, which includes information on the state hospitals where these regulations will be upheld as well as the anticipated coverage percentages under the new system.
Public health care institutions
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Ankara Bilkent Şehir Hastanesi in Ankara
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Ankara Etlik Şehir Hastanesi in Ankara
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Antalya Şehir Hastanesi in Antalya
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Bursa Şehir Hastanesi in Bursa
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Gaziantep Şehir Hastanesi in Gaziantep
The following Hospitals are all in Istanbul
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı İstanbul Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Başakşehir Çam ve Sakura Şehir Hastanesi
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı İstanbul Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı İstanbul Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşçıoğlu Şehir Hastanesi
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı İstanbul Haseki Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanes
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Taksim Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın Şehir Hastanesi
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Pendik Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Bağcılar Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
Public Health Care Institutions
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı İzmir Şehir Hastanesi in Izmir
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Kocaeli Şehir Hastanesi in Kocaeli
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Mersin Şehir Hastanesi in Mersin
T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Muğla Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi in Mugla
You can prevent price increases by securing reduced rates
There is a limited window of time for anyone who want to avoid the upcoming increases in health insurance premiums in Turkey. People can obtain insurance coverage with a validity date that extends until March 31, 2027, prior to the April 1, 2025, policy changes going into effect. This will guarantee compliance with residence permit requirements while preventing the expected rate increase.
Source: Turkey Today
Take a look at our Turkish Property for Sale
