Klaus Jurgens
LET me start by saying that we all rely on our GP’s expert knowledge and without them, as well as nurses, hospital staff and pharmacists, life would be impossible.
We all get sick from time to time, may need an operation or other urgent medical help. All this comes at a price, naturally. Yet there is a huge difference between paying a fair amount versus paying an excessively high amount of monies, respectively.
I have come to the conclusion that not only here but probably in all European countries health care service charges have gone through the roof. I found this out by chance and here is how the story unfolded.
Our daughter felt unwell and as our much admired GPs are a truly British as well as at least in parts, continental institution (Germany’s family doctors are comparable) Turkey does not have such a system as of yet.
You either have to make your way to a local health center or a hospital as the doctor of choice would not normally carry out patient’s home visits. And unless we are covered by our host nation’s social security system we have to pay for each and every treatment. Fair enough!
What made me put pen to paper today was an eye-opener of sorts, or a very expensive mouth opener!
As I wrote, our daughter had come down with a flu and very bad sore throat. Pastilles would not do the job and so we decided to take her to the nearest private hospital for a check-up.
The doctor – a nice man and expert in his field as pediatrician – quickly looked into our daughter’s mouth and stated ‘sore throat, inflammation.’ We nodded with consent. Is there anything else we need to know or do? No, I write a prescription for syrup, was his final comment.
Relieved that there was nothing seriously wrong with our child I somehow could not get rid of the feeling that this is what we had found out at home already. I am no doctor, and am in no way patronizing.
But my criticism begins here. I went to the check out desk (yes, modern hospitals resemble hotels) and wanted to pay as on that day our daughter was only covered in private hospitals accepting SGK (state social security membership) and this one (the only one in walking distance from our home) does not accept SGK patient’s. Hence, cash it was.
And would you believe it: the approximately three minute long – treatment came down to a staggering 350 Turkish Lira.
Not normally lost for words I almost lost my composure but remained as calm as I possibly could. Not having that amount of cash with me we had to leave photo ID behind as we could not settle the bill there and then.
When returning to the same desk later I wanted to pay by credit card only to be told that my particular card is not accepted. Third attempt, I sent my wife with another brand of plastic in order to pay and pick up said photo ID.
In other words: the hospital is able to charge either me as patient direct or via my private health insurance (in case you have one) 350TL for a three minute non-emergency kind of confirmation of what the parents already knew.
In return my private health insurance premiums would increase year after year as charges such as the one we had to fork out will for sure be factored in as basis for regular monthly policy premiums. I call this unjustified inflation.
If hospital charges on the private front would be reasonable, private health insurance premiums would be, too. Can you imagine this occurs on the last day of an expat’s holiday with few monies left, perhaps unable to pay and unable to collect photo ID hence being unable to leave the country?
We have learned our costly lesson. No monies are ever too many when it comes to securing our daughter’s well-being. But there are differences. Not yet totally convinced right thereafter we went to our local state health center and obtained a much more detailed report and consultation and different medicines, too.
Two days later she was well again. Costs: Nothing except for the prescription and a small nominal fee, all together less than 30 Turkish Lira. Hence, the net value of such a consultation is 30 Turkish Lira.
In a nutshell: please either register yourself with the local SGK network or if not suitable, take out private health insurance. A 20 per cent excess policy sets you back at around 250 – 300 Turkish Lira per nine month installments per adult per year. Imagine no sore throat but something more serious and picture the potential amounts you would need to pay otherwise!
Being insured makes absolute sense.
Same as with education I believe in a government’s responsibility for providing adequate basic health care services for every citizen, too. After my visit to a state health center I am convinced Turkey is on the right way, step by step.
Jumping to an altogether different topic: May I wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!