Medical treatment in Turkey and the UAE
An investor can get a UAE residence visa, which equals a residence permit, or Turkey citizenship. These countries are popular destinations for vacation, relocation and medical tourism.
Learn the key points one needs to know about medicine in the Middle East and whether it’s possible to reduce treatment costs there.
Medical treatment for visitors in the UAE
Level of medicine. The UAE government pays great attention to the development of medicine: hospitals are well-equipped, artificial intelligence is used to process examination results, and the wards of some clinics are as comfortable as rooms in seven-star hotels.
Future doctors are trained at local universities and attracted from abroad: qualified specialists get Golden Residence Visas valid for 10 years.
Medical cities have been established in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. These are quarters with hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation and health centres. Patients can live, be treated and recover from procedures there.
Popular medical services among foreigners who come to the UAE for treatment include aesthetic surgery, cosmetology, dentistry, orthopaedics, and reproductive and sports medicine. Also, medical tourists’ frequent goal is a preventive examination.
Usually, you can consult a doctor online before travelling for treatment.
The cost of treatment depends on the clinic and the level of comfort the patient prefers. On average, an angioplasty costs about $8,200, a hip replacement is $16,500, IVF is about $9,500, and a dental implant with installation costs $1,600.
Foreigners must pay for medical services. Health insurance helps keep costs down. In most cases, it is mandatory; for example, one can only get a UAE residence visa with health insurance.
To get a UAE residence visa, an investor can buy real estate. If a property costs more than AED 750,000 ($204,000), a visa will be valid for 2 years. If the property value exceeds AED 2,000,000 ($545,000), the visa validity period will be 10 years.
Other options for obtaining a UAE resident visa include starting a business, finding a job, moving as a freelancer, or participating in a program for retirees.
Cost of medical treatment in Turkey
Foreigners choose Turkey for treatment for various reasons: some cannot get quality care in their country of residence, while others are attracted by the relatively low cost and high quality of services.
Turkey has a developed hospitality sector, so finding a suitable hotel or apartment is easy. In addition, treatment can be combined with a beach holiday.
Popular reasons for medical tourism include oncology treatment, transplantology, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, reproductive medicine, and dentistry. The country uses modern surgical technologies that allow doctors to perform operations with minimum damage, for example, da Vinci Surgical Systems.
The cost of treatment in Turkey is lower than in Israel, EU countries or the USA. Approximate prices for some procedures are the following:
$4,800 — angioplasty;
$13,900 — hip joint replacement;
$5,200 — IVF;
$1,100 — a dental implant with installation.
Health insurance for foreigners is either compulsory or voluntary in Turkey.
Foreigners who legally reside in the country for at least a year or work for a Turkish company are registered in the compulsory health insurance system. The employer pays contributions for employees, while business owners and the self-employed pay for themselves.
Universal health insurance (Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu, SGK) fully covers treatment at public clinics and, sometimes, a part of the costs of procedures performed at private institutions. It applies to a spouse and children under 18 or up to 25 if they are studying at a university or college.
Applicants for Turkey residence permits and citizenship by investment buy a voluntary health insurance policy. Such insurance partially covers the costs of services at private clinics; reimbursement varies by plan. The policy covers a spouse and children under 18.
Turkey citizenship can be obtained by investing at least $400,000 in real estate or $500,000 in a business, securities or bank deposits. The procedure for obtaining a passport takes at least 6 months.
Investors with Turkish passports are treated in the country without visas and time limits.
Summary of getting medical treatment in the UAE and Turkey
Healthcare is one of the UAE government’s priorities. The country uses modern technologies to treat and prevent diseases and creates medical cities. Qualified doctors are attracted from abroad: they are given 10-year residence visas.
Treatment in the UAE is fee-based, and a part of the costs is covered by insurance. It must be bought if the investor plans to get a UAE residence visa.
In Turkey, medical services are relatively inexpensive compared to other countries, such as Israel and the USA. At the same time, the equipment and experience of doctors at leading Turkish clinics are just as good.
A foreigner can get a universal health insurance policy if they have lived in Turkey for more than a year or work in a Turkish company. The rest of the residents have access to voluntary insurance.
Turkey citizenship by investment can be obtained within 6—8 months. The country’s passport allows the holder to come for treatment without a visa and stay for any time.
Material prepared by Julia Loko, Investment programs expert
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