If you're far from home, it can be hard to find medical care that suits your needs. It's even more difficult if you don't speak the language and are unfamiliar with the healthcare system.
FirstMed’s guide gives an overview of Hungary's public and private healthcare systems and details the key points to consider when choosing a provider. We hope it will help you decide where to get treatment or advice should an illness or injury occur while staying in Hungary.
How does the healthcare system in Hungary work?
If you fall ill or get injured in Hungary, you can receive free treatment at state-owned medical institutions. However, this only applies if your home country has a special agreement with Hungary. Otherwise, without international health insurance or travel insurance, you will need to pay out-of-pocket for your treatment.
About the Hungarian state healthcare system
The Hungarian health care system is a state-run program financed through social security contributions that are similar to taxes. As a result, Hungarian residents and expats employed by a local company, or students don't have to pay for their treatment at state-owned healthcare institutions. However, there may be costs associated with certain medicines, medical equipment, or extra services.
EU citizens visiting Hungary for a short time can also obtain treatment free of charge at state hospitals by presenting their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC covers urgent and emergency health issues that cannot wait for your return home, such as an acute illness or injury. It also covers medical care related to pregnancy and childbirth or chronic illness. It is not a substitute for travel insurance and does not cover private hospitals or other types of treatments – it only includes medically necessary services provided by state facilities.
Non-EU citizens with no home-country agreement on free healthcare are advised to buy private travel insurance before entering Hungary, or prepare to pay out-of-pocket for any medical expenses. If you're visiting from a non-EU country and need to see a doctor, check whether your policy covers medical treatment beyond first aid.
Getting medical treatment in Budapest
In the event of illness or injury, public and private healthcare facilities in Budapest can provide you with care. Locals are eligible for free treatment at public institutions, and many travel insurers will cover emergency or urgent treatment at these facilities, because of this, these are often overcrowded. Besides state-owned healthcare providers, a wide range of private clinics offer quality services in Budapest, although it has to be paid for.
You might wonder why even locals prefer paying for private medical treatment in Budapest, rather than getting free care through the public system.
What are the benefits of private healthcare in Hungary?
In Budapest, many private clinics provide outpatient or even inpatient care. They offer benefits like shorter waiting times and a wider range of specialists—and they're comfortable modern facilities. However, their number is significantly less when it comes to English-speaking services.
Key points to consider when choosing your provider are detailed below.
Remove the language barrier
Visiting a Hungarian healthcare institution as a foreigner can be a challenge. You may have trouble making appointments, describing your symptoms to the doctor, and getting them to understand you completely. Even if you are eventually able to communicate, you want to know the exact evaluation and advice.
At FirstMed, not only the doctors, but all staff members speak fluent English, which makes it easy to make an appointment or discuss concerns. If your English could use some improvement, we may have a doctor who speaks your language! Your doctor will take the time to explain your diagnosis and treatment plan in a language you can understand.
Find a doctor you trust
If your doctor refers you to a specialist or prescribes further diagnostic tests, you may need to visit another facility to fulfill the request. In the public system, free care only allows you to visit the local doctor or hospital to which your doctor referred you.
At a private clinic, you can find suitable care and choose your preferred doctor. At FirstMed, we offer a wide range of medical services and personalized care. Our English-speaking doctors are available for 20+ specialties, including adult and pediatric services, as well as in-house screenings. If you're uncomfortable with a medical
Reduced waiting time
In Hungary's public medical centers, long waiting lists are common. The necessary waiting time might even exceed two months depending on the specialty, according to a recent survey. The private sector can provide you with access to specialists almost three times faster than the public sector. In 2022, the average waiting time for specialist and diagnostic exams is 8 days in private centers, while it is 30 days in the public sector. (1)
Furthermore, at a public health clinic, even if you have an appointment scheduled with the doctor, this does not ensure that you will be seen on time. In public healthcare, you may have to wait 25 minutes on average just for a 13-minute treatment. In contrast, patients in private healthcare facilities wait about 10 minutes before their appointments and receive over 20-minute treatments from doctors. (2)
Delaying or skipping treatment could result in damaging health issues going untreated. That's why many visitors and locals alike prefer to see private providers for their medical needs.
Modern facilities
When you are looking for medical treatment in Budapest, you want to get the best possible care. Private clinics offer high-quality private health care because they can afford to invest in cutting-edge technology and hire highly skilled doctors and nurses.
Although many government-owned medical institutions are well equipped, not all facilities are as modern as private clinics. Government-funded hospitals have fewer financial constraints than private companies and so can afford to build more hospitals and buy more medical machines.
At FirstMed, we are committed to providing superior healthcare coupled with a comfortable environment, so that our patients can focus on healing. We have outfitted our clinic with the latest technology and machinery, which ensures that you get the most effective treatment.
Cut your health care costs
Private health care may be expensive, but insurance policies can help to reduce the cost.
Benefits of private health insurance
Private health care providers offer the most efficient way to access high-quality medical care, which your private health insurance may cover in full. To determine which benefits your insurance plan offers and whether you need more or less coverage, research different plans carefully.
When booking an appointment at a clinic, inform them if you have private health insurance. Send the name of your insurance company along with a copy of your card and date of birth so they can verify whether we can accept your insurance.
At FirstMed Budapest, we have established agreements with over 110 private insurance providers. This makes it possible for us to bill directly to your insurance company, so you may leave our office without needing to pay out-of-pocket or file a claim on your own.
Special offers
FirstMed has special offers for those who don't have private health insurance or have a high deductible or co-pay. We can help you stay healthy while you are in Hungary by providing annual healthcare packages that include medical consultations with English-speaking doctors as well as standard checkups for prenatal care and first-year infant health.
Summary
When you’re out of your country, it may be hard to know where to go for medical treatment. If you need to see a doctor, there’s no time to worry about whether they speak English or not. At FirstMed, our full-service, English-speaking outpatient clinic, we can help make sure that you get the right treatment for your needs.