Hungary

Accessing care

With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you can receive medically necessary treatment when you are temporarily staying in Hungary. Medically necessary treatment means treatment that cannot wait until you return home. You may need such treatment, for example, due to sudden illness or an accident.

You can also receive treatment related to pregnancy, childbirth, or chronic illnesses. If you have a condition that requires regular treatment while you are staying abroad, contact a health care provider in advance to arrange the treatment.

The European Health Insurance Card does not guarantee free treatment and you will be charged the same amount as local residents. We recommend carrying additional copies of your card. If you do not have a European Health Insurance Card or if it is not accepted, you will need to pay the cost of treatment yourself. You can then apply for reimbursement from Kela afterward.

Hungary also has private healthcare services. If you seek treatment from the private sector, you will be liable for all costs.

Sudden illness

Doctor

Contact a doctor who has an agreement with the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary (Nemzeti Egészségbiztosítási Alapkezelő, NEAK). You can recognise this type of doctor by the following description in Hungarian: “a társadalombiztosítás egészségügyi szolgáltatásaira szerződött szolgáltató” (service provider under contract).

In Hungary, the first place of treatment is a general practitioner (háziorvos). You can see a specialist after receiving a referral from a general practitioner. Specialist treatment is usually available at outpatient care unit (szakrendelő). However, no referrals are required for dermatologists, gynaecologists, urologists, otologists, laryngologists, ophthalmologists, oncologists and surgeons.

Specialists operating in Hungary will accept referrals from doctors in Finland or elsewhere in the EU as long as they are written in English. The patient may be required to request a new referral from a doctor in Hungary only in cases where the referral does not contain the necessary information or it contains unclear items.

Doctors who operate in Hungary are only obliged to provide treatment in Hungarian. Generally, however, doctors do speak English.

Dentist

You can see a dentist without a referral. Go straight to the practice of a doctor who has a contract with the NEAK. Dental care is free in the case of emergencies, referrals from specialists, treatments that preserve the tooth, gum diseases or surgeries. The patient is usually liable for the costs of materials. Note that most dentists who advertise their services do not have contracts with the NEAK.

Usually, contract dentists only offer the above services. Dental care is free for patients under the age of 18 or over the age of 60 as well as pregnant women and women who recently gave birth.

Medication

Show your European Health Insurance Card and identity card when collecting your prescribed medicines at a pharmacy (gyógyszertár). This will entitle you to a reimbursement, the level of which depends on the illness and the type of medicine. The reimbursement is deducted from the price of the medicine at the pharmacy, which means that you will only pay for the deductible. However, you may be required to pay full price for certain less necessary medicines.

Hospital treatment

Public hospital treatment (outpatient or inpatient care) usually requires a doctor’s referral. In case of urgent attacks of illness, you can go straight to a public hospital. Present your European Health Insurance Card and identity card at the reception. Hospital treatment is free except for the following cases:

• You do not have a doctor’s referral for hospital care.
• You seek treatment at a different place than the one appointed by your doctor.
• You see a doctor who is not on duty at the moment.

If you require services above the standard level at a hospital (such as a larger room or special meals) you will be liable for all costs.

You will be liable for all costs of treatment at a private hospital.

Hospitals and clinics in Hungary usually require payment before the treatment is started. Most often, the payment is requested in advance by wire transfer or in cash on arrival.

Ambulance transport is free in urgent cases when you present your European Health Insurance Card and identity card.

Read more about suddenly falling ill in Europe.

Read more about reimbursement of costs of treatment abroad.

Useful websites

If you want to travel to Hungary to use healthcare services there, you should read our website for general information about seeking treatment abroad. You should direct your questions about healthcare in Hungary to the Hungarian National Contact Point. When looking for a doctor or hospital that provides a specific type of treatment, you can request assistance from the Hungarian National Contact Point or the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary (NEAK).

A list of the healthcare service providers operating in Hungary (in Hungarian) is available on the website of the NEAK.

You can use the What Clinic online service to look for a dentist, doctor or clinic in Hungary. Notice that this website is not comprehensive with all healthcare providers and it also includes private practitioners. You can use the Allianz Worldwide service to find a hospital, doctor or other healthcare service provider in Hungary. You can also enquire about the costs of care by email from address nemzetk@oep.hu.

You can get information regarding healthcare in Hungary in English on the website of the NEAK.

Quality and safety of treatment

In the event of treatment injuries, the legislation and patient insurance of the country providing the treatment is always applied. In case you are unhappy with the treatment you received, you should primarily try to sort the matter out with the treatment provider. The national contact point can help you with finding the right authority if you wish to make a complaint.

Healthcare service providers in Hungary are legally obliged to perform internal quality control. More information on the quality and safety standards for treatment is available on  the website of the National Contact Point of Hungary .

Healthcare system

The Hungarian healthcare system is mainly financed through the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary (Nemzeti Egészségbiztosítási Alapkezelő, NEAK) and taxes. NEAK’s coverage is universal and it allows access to ambulatory as well as secondary healthcare. Healthcare is generally free. Patients make co-payments on certain services, such as pharmaceuticals, dental care and rehabilitation. Non-Hungarians who are not insured are entitled to essential health services free of charge, in the case of an emergency or acute condition.