Is Turkish Healthcare FREE ? Health Insurance and Retirement System in Turkey | BIG TALKS EP. 3
Summary
TLDRIn this podcast, host Josefan discusses the Turkish healthcare system with Mr. Acute, a licensed expert and co-founder. They cover various insurance types available to Turkish citizens, including free healthcare for the poor via 'green card,' mandatory insurance for business owners ('balker'), and employee insurance ('SGK'). The discussion also touches on 'GSS' for self-employed individuals, offering free healthcare without retirement benefits. Mr. Acute highlights the high quality of Turkish healthcare, comparing it favorably to other countries, emphasizing affordability and the extensive coverage of treatments and medicines.
Takeaways
- đ„ Turkish healthcare is generally free but not for everyone. It depends on the individual's social status and employment.
- đł The 'Green Card' provides completely free healthcare to those who can prove they are unable to support themselves financially.
- đšâđŒ Business owners ('BaÄkur') pay for their own insurance, which also covers retirement and healthcare.
- đŒ Employees are covered by their employer's insurance ('SGK'), which includes healthcare and retirement benefits after meeting certain conditions.
- đą 'SGK' insurance costs approximately 1200 Turkish Liras per month and is paid by the employer, not deducted from the employee's salary.
- đȘ Healthcare insurance covers the family, including the spouse and children up to 18 or 24 if they are studying.
- đ„ 'GSS' is a self-employed insurance option that provides free healthcare but no retirement benefits, costing 107 Turkish Liras monthly.
- đ Foreign investors often opt for private insurance packages, but there are also governmental insurance options available for those seeking citizenship.
- đ Turkish healthcare is considered high quality, with well-educated and experienced doctors and nurses.
- đ Most treatments, including cancer, and medications are either free or heavily subsidized by the government in public hospitals.
- đ„ Dental treatments, cosmetic surgeries, and hair transplants are notably affordable in Turkey, attracting patients from abroad.
Q & A
What is the green card in the Turkish healthcare system?
-The green card is a type of healthcare provided totally free to people who can prove they are poor and unable to maintain their homes. The government provides this card for those individuals to get free health services from any government hospital.
How much does a business owner pay for their insurance in Turkey?
-A business owner, referred to as 'balker' in Turkish, pays approximately 1200 Turkish Liras monthly for their insurance, which also covers retirement.
What is the retirement age for Turkish citizens with 'balker' insurance?
-The retirement age for Turkish citizens with 'balker' insurance is 65 for males and 60 for females.
What is SGK and how much does it cost?
-SGK is a type of insurance for employees working in companies. The cost is approximately 1200 Turkish Liras monthly, and it covers full healthcare in all government hospitals as well as retirement salary after fulfilling 7000 working days.
What is GSS and how much does it cost?
-GSS is a healthcare insurance option for those who do not work or own a business. It provides free healthcare at government hospitals for a monthly cost of 107 Turkish Liras, but it does not include retirement benefits.
Does the healthcare insurance cover the whole family in Turkey?
-Yes, if a husband has 'balker' insurance, it covers his wife and children up to the age of 18, or up to 24 if they are studying at a university. The same applies to GSS and SGK insurances.
What kind of insurance do foreign investors in Turkey usually prefer?
-Foreign investors in Turkey often opt for private insurance packages, which vary in offerings and pricing from different companies. For citizenship investors willing to live in Turkey, they may also opt for governmental insurance packages.
How does the quality of Turkish healthcare compare to other countries?
-The quality of Turkish healthcare is very high, with well-educated and experienced doctors and nurses. The government hospitals are well-equipped and offer free or subsidized treatments, including for serious illnesses like cancer.
Is dental treatment in Turkey affordable compared to Europe?
-Yes, dental treatment in Turkey is more affordable compared to many European countries, attracting many Turkish-origin Europeans to receive dental treatments during the summer.
What is the cost of the GSS package for healthcare in Turkey?
-The GSS package costs 107 Turkish Liras per month, allowing for countless visits to government hospitals.
How does the Turkish healthcare system handle emergency situations?
-In emergency situations, such as someone passing out and needing an ambulance, the individual is responsible for the costs upon waking up and receiving the bill.
Outlines
đ„ Turkish Healthcare System Overview
In this segment, the host discusses the Turkish healthcare system with a licensed expert and co-founder, Mr. Acute. The conversation covers the misconception that healthcare in Turkey is entirely free. It is clarified that while healthcare is free, it is not free for everyone. The expert explains that there are four types of healthcare available to Turkish citizens: Green Card for the poor, Bakkal for business owners, SGK for employees, and GSS for self-employed individuals. Each type has different requirements and benefits, including free healthcare services at government hospitals and retirement benefits after meeting certain criteria.
đ Details on Turkish Healthcare Coverage
This paragraph delves deeper into the specifics of the Turkish healthcare system. The Green Card provides free healthcare to those who can prove their financial inability to support themselves. Bakkal insurance is paid by the business owner's company and covers healthcare and retirement. SGK insurance is for employees and is paid by the employing company, covering healthcare and retirement. GSS is for self-employed individuals and provides free healthcare without retirement benefits. The discussion also addresses how these insurances cover family members, with varying age limits depending on education status. The segment concludes with insights on private insurance options for foreigners and the high quality of Turkish healthcare compared to other countries.
đ International Perspective on Turkish Healthcare
In the final paragraph, the conversation turns to the experiences of foreigners in Turkey, particularly investors. The host and Mr. Acute discuss the preference of foreign investors for private insurance packages and the assistance provided by their company in guiding investors to reliable insurance providers. The discussion emphasizes the affordability and quality of Turkish healthcare, with Mr. Acute sharing his personal preference for Turkish healthcare over the US system due to the quality of medical staff and equipment. The segment highlights the cost-effectiveness of treatments like cancer therapy and dental work in Turkey, which attracts many Europeans of Turkish origin. The host invites further questions from the audience and thanks Mr. Acute for the informative discussion.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄTurkish Healthcare
đĄGreen Card
đĄBakur
đĄSGK
đĄGSS
đĄRetirement Salary
đĄAffordability
đĄForeign Investors
đĄPrivate Insurance
đĄQuality of Care
đĄCosmetic Surgeries
Highlights
Turkish healthcare is often considered free, but there are specific conditions and categories that determine its availability.
The 'Green Card' provides completely free healthcare for those who can prove they are unable to support themselves.
Business owners, known as 'balker' in Turkish, pay for their own insurance, which also covers retirement.
Insurance for business owners costs approximately 1200 Turkish Liras per month and includes healthcare and retirement benefits.
Retirement eligibility is linked to age and the number of working days contributed, typically 7000 days for both genders.
SGK insurance applies to employees and is paid by the employing company, covering full healthcare and retirement.
GSS is a form of insurance for those without formal employment, providing free healthcare at a cost of 107 Turkish Liras per month.
Healthcare coverage in Turkey often extends to family members, including spouses and children up to certain ages.
Foreign investors in Turkey have access to a variety of private insurance packages.
For those seeking Turkish citizenship, there are governmental insurance packages available alongside private options.
The quality of Turkish healthcare is considered high, with well-educated and experienced medical staff.
Government hospitals in Turkey are well-equipped and offer advanced treatments, including for cancer.
Affordability is a key feature of Turkish healthcare, with treatments like cancer being largely free in government hospitals.
Medicines are predominantly provided by the government, ensuring affordability for most treatments.
The GSS package, costing 107 Liras per month, allows for unlimited visits to government hospitals.
Private insurance packages may have limitations on doctor visits but can be more convenient for some.
Emergency medical services in Turkey are free, even for those who are uninsured.
Turkey is known for affordable dental treatments, hair transplants, and cosmetic surgeries, attracting patients from abroad.
Transcripts
[Music]
assalamualaikum everyone this is josefan
from biggest and west turkey and as you
know we've been getting a lot of
questions from our investors and clients
about general things so we thought why
not start a podcast series answering all
of those questions and today we're going
to talk about the turkish health care
and i thought who better to ask this
question rather than mr acute or
licensed expert and at the same time our
co-founder uh so welcome your circus how
are you i'm doing fine how about you i'm
good too so mr good
one of the most important questions
is turkish healthcare really free yeah
which is the most frequent ask question
actually regarding the healthcare system
and in turkey
the health is free but somehow free not
free for everybody actually
let me give you a detailed information
regarding to the turkish healthcare
system because in turkish healthcare
system there are four
kind different kind of healthcare that
that
that the citizens of turkey can get
benefit the very first thing this is i'm
making this group to make it simple for
you guys to to understand it indeed
so
the very first thing is
green card which is totally free head
care and this green card is being
provided for only
people who are able to claim who are
able to prove that they are poor and
they have no money to maintain their
homes so government
gives provides green card for those
people to get free health
services from any government hospital
okay this is the very first one but you
have to prove that you cannot provide
for yourself exactly you have to prove
it with the required documents
another one for the business owners
which we call in turkish balker
so if you are a business owner
your insurance will be paid by yourself
by your company actually
so your company will pay for your
insurance which is approximately 1200
turkish liras in this year early
yearly uh this is uh sorry this is
monthly money yeah uh so one thousand
two approximately one thousand two
hundred turkey shares monthly uh which
is uh paid by the company that you own
and this is not only insurance this is
also your retirement
so
after a certain date of payment
you will be eligible to
return your retirement salary and there
is also edge specified h limit for it
which is 65 for the male and if i'm not
mistaken 60 for the female so once you
reach this age and once you fill the
required date of payment which is
approximately 7 000 working days
you will be able to start collecting
your retirement salary from the
government
and plus during this time period where
you are paying your monthly
backup
you are also free to get
any kind of
health service at any kind of government
hospital
so the the last two ones are actually
the same thing which is called sgk
and this is applying for the employees
for the
people who are working in the companies
so
these people are being insured by the
company which employed them
and again the cost is approximately the
same 1200
turkish lira permanent
for the sgk and it covers the full
health care in all the government
hospitals
again and this also provides the
retirement salary as well after
fulfilling 7000 working days plus the
age limit exactly same as the bank of 65
years for the mail
so
the payment of this as
sgk
being
paid by the mostly being paid by the
company that employed you okay not from
from your salary this is usually how it
is in the market but it depends on your
working contract yeah
sometimes they make contract from the
gross so it will be deducted from the
salary sometimes they
you agree on the net salary so you
collect your nasties it depends on you
and your employer exactly that's how it
is and another one is for those actually
most of our investors are making which
is called gss
this is actually exactly providing the
same
features of sgk free healthcare at all
the government hospitals but you are
paying monthly in this year monthly you
are paying 107 turkish liras
and
you have no retirement because as you
see this is
almost 1 out of 10 of the sgk so you
have only free healthcare at any kind of
government hospitals
this is
what usually people who have no work
and who have no business
and who has no need for money this is
what they do actually they give 107 era
and monthly monthly and it will save
all the health care
and by the way
you didn't ask but let me tell let me
also give this information i'm pretty
sure people are having this question
mark as well is it going to cover the
whole family
so yes
if
any member of the family in terms of
wife and husband if husband has bakur it
it covers the health care of the wife
and children
up the age of 18
if they are still studying any
university then the age limit goes up to
24. okay
but if they have no regis school
registry after 18 years old then they
are not included with the insurance of
the family
and same for gss same for sgk if one
member get insured it covered the family
and children up to 18 years old if they
are studying up to 24 years old all
right and
however for the retirement there will be
only of course one retirement salary
but if both members wife and husband are
working at the same time and they are
getting issued
at the same time so they will have two
retirement salaries
so this was for turkish citizens now as
you know we have a lot of foreign
investors and
what kind of insurances do they prefer
well for foreigners there are of course
lots of
private insurance packages from
different several companies they're all
different offering different packages if
you ask about our investors if it is not
a citizenship investment we also of
course guide them to the reliable
insurance companies and
help them to get the offers
if they
if our investor is looking for
citizenship and willing to live in
turkey of course we help them also for
having these governmental insurance
packages as well as uh the private
insurances okay it makes sense yeah now
last question mr couture turkish i you
would know about this better than me
and our investors too
in your opinion is turkish healthcare
really good if you compare it to other
countries
well i have lived in us for quite a long
time so
that's what i can compare
our healthcare system is definitely very
high quality especially our
teams the doctors and nurses are very
high quality and very well educated they
have too much experience actually
so i can basically say
any kind of illness i have i will never
think about having a treatment abroad
i would definitely choose the turkish
doctors turkish hospitals
in turkey all most of the government
hospitals are also having all the high
quality equipment which are necessary
for any kind of treatment
in terms of cancer treatment turkish
hospitals are very well improved and
they are offering all the equipments and
other necessary
stuff for for the trade what about
affordability affordability for example
cancer treatment is totally free in the
government hospitals
so even in the private hospitals
government is covering some portion of
the costs you only pay for some extra
you know for having a much fancier room
etc so
in the medicine is being provided by the
government this is very important also
for any other illness as well most of
the medicines i can say 99 of the
medicines are being provided by the
government your insurance is covered
okay so that answers the question i
guess
turkish healthcare is almost free
almost almost free like 95
yeah for example the package gss
monthly only 107 lira yeah you can visit
government hospitals countless
all right
there is private insurance package for
example you pay yearly 1000 lira but you
have limited
doctor wizard within this package and
you can go to only selected
of course of course these are also
considerable
but i can say for 107 lira visiting
as much as doctor you want and getting
as much task as you want it's always
free it's almost almost if you compare
it to countries like america
yeah yeah and you ask even if you had an
emergency if you let's say pass out on
the way and if somebody calls an
ambulance for helping you yeah you are
responsible you're gonna wake up and
look at the villain exactly which
happened a very close friend of mine so
this happens unfortunately especially to
treatment dental treatment
in europe as well it's very expensive
during summer for example we have lots
of turkish origin europeans so they are
all coming
for their dental treatments and hair
transplants too exactly turkey these are
already famous i think our audience
already family cosmetic surgeries and
everything turkey is from
famous with foreign
so thank you so much mr kid
you answered all of the questions you
it was great talking to you i hope all
of the questions that are invested out
there answered thank you so much for
being here with us yeah it was my
pleasure
just staying tuned
if you have further questions right yeah
just comment them down below or contact
us on the whatsapp number given on the
screen
uh yeah i'm here to help you guys yeah
until next time take care of yourselves
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)