Medical insurance

[Scunner]

Yes, you were kindly offered to join a club with benefits - I am sure that for those who politely decline, there will be no favours anymore.

[Sus]

quote:Originally posted by Scunner

Yes, you were kindly offered to join a club with benefits - I am sure that for those who politely decline, there will be no favours anymore.

Oh No do I hear the scratching of a pen on paper writing yet another petition when this happens to the first few who declined the offer to join.

The British Embassy  unindated with emails and phone calls from angry Brits stating it is not fair, we demand pay as you go treatment, the UK have a right to look after us after all the NIC and Tax we paid, we are going home and you will see that Turkey has no tourists and your economy will suffer.

[Pi55y]

Has anyone heard that due to the system going into meltdown that the Turkish government have extended the registration period until the end of February? The information did come from a Turkish person who said it was on the Turkish government site but as I have seen nothing on the British embassy site to confirm this yet, I am not sure if this is the case.

[LeeGlo]

quote:Originally posted by Ray1951

I have heard of several cases where people have gone to the Devlet and on production of their residency book, have been given treatment/tests at minimal cost.  This surely will no longer apply unless you have the SGK, otherwise there would be NO point in it. By not having SGK, I am sure the cost of medical treatment etc. will be exceptionally high should it be required.

You are quite right, some time ago a Turkish friend came with me to register at the Devlet as I wanted to have some tests done. I had a consultation with a family doctor, blood & stool test, Dexa scan, and a further consultation with a skin specialist, because I was worried about a brown spot I thought might be skin cancer, total cost 85TL. In my opinion that was excellent value.

I also had minor eye surgery at the eye hospital Kartelmed, was in the operating suite within 20 minutes of walking through the door - cost 300TL. This included 3 visits I had already made to the private clinic in Calis.

Now some might argue that because I had paid for a residence permit then I was entitled to that, but in actual fact I had paid for the privilege of being allowed to remain living in this country for the period of my permit, and the reduced cost of medical facilities was a bonus.

This new health scheme is intended for people who actually live here full time and that is, in my opinion, where the problem lies in that people have taken out RP's in order to buy cars, get phones and avoid the new visa regulations. Before anybody starts shouting at me - I'm not saying they shouldn't have, just that it complicates things.

We have just been to sign up this morning, in and out in 10 minutes, no problems. At our ages we think that this is a good bargain, even though we have a "pot" put by for emergencies it could be wiped out in one go by the need for major surgery.

For people who are in doubt about who should/shouldn't register because their current RP is not 1 year old - just copy the page showing your previous visa period and you should have no trouble. That's if you want to join of course.

PS - Just checked the Embassy website, nothing new, no mention of extension of time or change of rules. So it looks like it's a case of if you want to join or think you may need to in the future DO IT NOW!

[geordieboy]

One of the most important issues facing anybody thinking of moving to a foreign country to live permanantly must surely be the question of sorting out adequate medical cover for yourselves.
We joined the SGK Feb 2011,cost for the two of us 400 TL,my wife had an operation,lots of tests,stay in hospital,etc,etc.I can only say I was impressed by the speed,efficiency,and professional way the matter was processed.
Then we were informed,along with many other's that our insurance had been terminated due to the system being changed in December.
Residents,and by residents I mean the people that live here 12mths of the year,now have a God given chance of getting themselves into a medical scheme,with full cover,for what I consider pennies.
I think it's bloody wonderful,as it stands,at this point in time,we can get back in for half the price we were paying,nowt wrong with that.

[desmartinson]

and that is in your opinion, and nothing wrong with that, what they have done now is give people the choice to join or not to join, your choice was to join, other people may not want to, at least it is fair and up to the individual/

[mercury]

My Turkish friend says that everyone has until the end of February to register now as they have been swamped. He was there this morning and that is what he was told.

[hoops man]

Quackers when i said dont worry it aint going to happen i was not refering to us getting an illness in the future! It was refering to the insurance scheme being compulsary. My point was you have a choice. i for one am looking at joining once i have looked into it more. many people already have private cover so they  dont need to join it at the moment. One thing though, 212tl this year for British i wonder what increase will be added for next year. The plot thickens.

[geordieboy]

What plot[?].

[LeeGlo]

hoops man, as the premiums are tied to the average Turkish wage x 2 for foreigners there will be increases annually but I can't see them being huge. Rumours abound that it will go up to 250TL in summer when the next cost of living rises come in.