AUSTRALIA
Emergency medical care is provided to both Australian and foreign citizens on a fee basis. At the same time, the assessment of the possibility of providing free medical care is carried out on a case-by-case basis.
AUSTRIA
The country's legislation requires the existence of a health insurance agreement for foreigners during their stay in Austria. This rule does not apply to members of official delegations and holders of diplomatic and service passports. Austrian medical institutions provide relevant services to foreign citizens even without an insurance policy, provided that the cost is paid (or a guarantee of payment is given) before leaving the clinic. Emergency medical care for Ukrainian citizens who are in Austria on official business trips is provided on a fee basis.
ARGENTINA
The legislation does not require a mandatory insurance policy that guarantees payment for medical care for foreign citizens. In the absence of a health insurance contract, any medical services are provided to foreigners by Argentine medical institutions on a fee basis.
BELGIUM
In the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, emergency medical care for Ukrainian citizens on business trips in these countries is not provided free of charge.
UNITED KINGDOM
Citizens of Ukraine and the United Kingdom, on the basis of reciprocity, have the right to receive emergency medical care free of charge (costs are to be reimbursed by the country where the service costs are incurred). Only foreigners who are permanently resident in the country and registered with local institutions are entitled to free services in public medical institutions of the United Kingdom (National Health Service). Other institutions (except charitable ones) provide services on a fee basis.
VIETNAM
The specifics of the country force foreigners, including Ukrainian citizens, if necessary, to use the services of so-called mixed-type medical facilities. These are medical institutions where the vast majority of medical staff are foreigners. Accordingly, their services are paid for everyone. The significant lack of medical institutions that are familiar to Europeans in terms of quality of service makes doctor services in these medical facilities extremely expensive. Just providing a consultation to foreigners in such facilities costs on average from $50 to $100, and the use of an ambulance – from $25 (these are not the highest rates). At the same time, local public medical institutions do not provide services to foreigners. An exception may be the provision of emergency medical care if the foreigner has a health insurance policy, or (more often) at the expense of payment by the foreigner personally. Private Vietnamese hospitals can provide medical services to foreigners, but their cost is significantly higher than for Vietnamese citizens. At the same time, Vietnamese legislation does not require a foreigner who is temporarily or permanently in the country to have a health insurance policy.
GREECE
Foreigners, including Ukrainian citizens, need to have an appropriate insurance policy. This is one of the main requirements of Greek diplomatic missions abroad when considering applications for visas to enter Greece. Emergency medical care is not provided to foreigners free of charge. Paid medical care for foreigners in the country is provided by both private and public medical institutions. At the same time, the cost of medical care in Greek public medical institutions is significantly lower than in private ones.
DENMARK
If a Ukrainian citizen contacts a Danish medical institution due to a sudden illness or accident, medical care is provided free of charge. At the same time, in case of injuries, acute illnesses, or need for emergency medical care, any foreigner in Denmark can call an ambulance, which will take them to the appropriate hospital. Calling an ambulance is paid and costs about $80-100. Treatment in such a case is free of charge.
EGYPT
According to existing practice, only ambulance services are provided to foreigners free of charge. In case the injured foreigner requires hospitalization or outpatient examination, they must pay for the medical services provided. Such treatment in medical institutions is carried out on the basis of a medical insurance certificate (policy) or by paying for services in cash. There are no medical facilities in the country intended solely for foreign patients. In view of the above, the Embassy of Ukraine in Egypt recommends considering the purchase of a voluntary medical expense insurance policy.
ISRAEL
Emergency medical care is provided on a fee basis, and even basic health insurance does not cover its costs. It should be noted that the cost of a regular ambulance for foreigners, including Ukrainian citizens, averages 400 shekels (about $95), and complex emergency care (resuscitation, etc.) costs twice as much. If the attending physician decides on clinical hospitalization, the patient is exempt from paying for the provision of emergency medical care.
INDIA
India's insurance legislation does not require foreigners to have an insurance policy that guarantees payment for medical services provided. Ukrainian citizens on business trips may be provided with emergency medical care free of charge in public medical institutions, which account for about 25% of the total number of medical facilities in the country.
INDONESIA
According to the current legislation of Indonesia, medical assistance, including emergency care, is paid for both citizens of this country and foreigners. In view of the above, Ukrainian citizens must have an appropriate insurance policy to cover the costs of medical assistance received.
IRELAND
Ukrainian citizens staying in Ireland are provided with emergency medical care on general terms. In particular, a one-time payment for visiting a medical facility is approximately €60, and the daily payment for services provided in case of hospitalization is approximately from €100.
SPAIN
According to the current social protection system in Spain, medical assistance is possible with an insurance policy (public or private). Without an insurance policy, medical assistance is provided on a paid basis. The possession of a voluntary insurance policy is also a mandatory condition for the consular department of the Spanish embassy to accept documents for a visa. Free emergency medical care to a Ukrainian citizen who has no means of subsistence can only be provided by shelters, public and charitable organizations such as Caritas and the Red Cross.
ITALY
Since January 1, 2007, Italy has introduced payment for emergency medical care, which until then had been provided free of charge. From now on, for services provided at an emergency medical care point, a payment coupon will be issued costing from €25 (minimum). If additional examinations (X-ray, fluorography, ultrasound, tomography, tests, etc.) are necessary, the cost of services will be higher. In addition, the amount of payment for emergency medical care will differ in different regions of Italy; local authorities will independently set its level. For example, in the Lombardy region, it will be €35 just for a doctor's consultation. And in Sicily, which has a special status, medical care will continue to be provided free of charge.
CANADA
Medical assistance is provided free of charge to persons who have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status. Free medical assistance is not provided to tourists, temporary visitors, and persons in transit.
KENYA
The provision of medical services to foreign citizens in the Republic of Kenya is paid.
CYPRUS
Ukrainian citizens staying in Cyprus are not provided with free emergency medical care. The usual minimum cost of each visit to a medical specialist is 10 Cypriot pounds (about $22), while the minimum cost of a general practitioner consultation is 7 pounds (about $15.4). Additional payment is also mandatory for all examinations, tests, and studies, including receiving the results of laboratory tests conducted for medical purposes. The minimum cost of inpatient treatment in medical facilities in Cyprus is 35-60 Cypriot pounds per day, while the cost of emergency care in the intensive care unit of hospitals is 100 Cypriot pounds (about $220) per day. The mandatory presence of an insurance policy guaranteeing payment for the cost of medical care is not required by law. Compulsory insurance is only provided for foreign workers temporarily employed in the Republic of Cyprus. At the same time, the provisions of Cypriot legislation provide for the possibility of private medical insurance, which is offered by a number of Cypriot insurance companies.
CHINA
All medical services in the PRC are paid. Foreigners and Chinese citizens can be provided with emergency medical care, followed by reimbursement of the cost of services. Planned operations are performed only on the condition of a preliminary cash deposit of about $2,000. If the deposited amount does not cover the cost of medical assistance provided, the patient must additionally pay the difference.
KOREA
Ukrainian citizens temporarily or permanently staying in the Republic of Korea are provided with medical assistance, including emergency care, exclusively on a paid basis.
CUBA
The only insurance company in the Republic of Cuba that assists foreign citizens staying in the country and who are owners of certain international insurance policies is ASISTUR. Cuban medical institutions provide emergency medical care to foreigners (on a paid or free basis) depending on the patient's insurance policy and the possibility of coverage by ASISTUR. ASISTUR has contracts with Coris-Ukraine and Europassistance-Ukraine, which, in turn, are members of the international companies CORIS and EUROP-ASSISTANCE. There are also a number of other Ukrainian insurance companies that are part of these groups. Thus, Ukrainian citizens staying in Cuba without a medical insurance policy valid in that country must receive paid medical services.
NETHERLANDS
Foreigners staying in the Netherlands must have a medical insurance contract. As for emergency medical care, it is provided to all persons, regardless of the presence of a medical insurance policy. However, in the absence of medical insurance, the person is obliged to pay the cost of the medical services provided themselves. The Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of the Netherlands often receives requests from medical institutions in the Netherlands to search for Ukrainian citizens who have not paid for medical assistance received and have a debt, which, accordingly, may be a reason for refusal to issue a visa to Schengen group countries.
GERMANY
Medical services that are not urgent are provided only after the patient has demonstrated the ability to pay. At the same time, emergency medical care is provided by hospital facilities without first ascertaining whether the patient is insured or whether they have sufficient personal funds to pay for medical services. However, this emergency medical care is not free. After it is provided, the corresponding bill is sent to the patient, who is obliged to pay it. If the patient is a foreign national and refuses to pay, the bill is forwarded to the German Foreign Ministry, which in turn seeks to resolve the issue of payment, including through diplomatic means.
NORWAY
Foreigners who have not concluded a health insurance contract are provided with emergency medical care on condition of mandatory reimbursement of its cost.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Medical care for foreign citizens is not provided free of charge, except in cases requiring life-saving intervention. According to federal law, if less than 24 hours are available for medical intervention to preserve a person's life, payment for medical services, surgery, and maintenance is not charged until the patient's health condition stabilizes. This is due to the peculiarities of the current immigration and visa legislation of the UAE. According to the rules, every foreigner who arrives in the country must have a so-called 'sponsor' (an individual or legal entity) who is fully responsible for their stay in the country and reimburses material damages for assistance, including medical.
SOUTH AFRICA
Medical care in South Africa is provided only if the cost of the relevant services is fully paid by the patient or their relatives, employer, or insurance company.
POLAND
The situation with the provision of emergency medical care to Ukrainian citizens temporarily staying in Poland has been critical in recent years. This issue became particularly acute after the healthcare system reform at the end of the 1990s, which abolished state budget funding for hospitals and introduced an insurance-based medicine system. In light of the above, and considering that Poland currently operates only an insurance-based medicine system, the possibility of Ukrainian citizens receiving emergency medical care free of charge in its territory is automatically excluded if they do not have an insurance policy or an original invitation from an individual or legal entity that undertakes to pay the medical bills for the invited citizen. It should be especially emphasized that out of 13,991 citizens who were denied entry to the Republic of Poland last year, a significant portion were denied precisely because they lacked insurance policies, guarantee letters (invitations), or the necessary funds to cover possible treatment costs.
PORTUGAL
For the provision of emergency medical care, a person must pay a so-called 'moderate fee' (taxa moderadoras). The amount depends on the type of care provided. The 'moderate fee' is reviewed annually by the Ministry of Health. The maximum cost of providing emergency medical care is ?60.
RUSSIA
Emergency medical care for foreign citizens is provided free of charge and urgently in the event of conditions that are life-threatening or require urgent medical intervention (consequences of accidents, injuries, poisoning, etc.). After recovery from these conditions, foreign citizens may be provided with planned medical care, but on a paid basis.
SYRIA
Currently, health insurance is a relatively new and little widespread type of service in Syria. In view of this, entry into the country for foreigners does not require mandatory health insurance. Emergency medical care is mandatory provided to foreign civil servants by state medical institutions free of charge. At the patient's choice, such care can also be obtained in private clinics for a fee.
SLOVAKIA
Medical care, including necessary medicines, sanitary transport, and emergency medical care, are provided to Ukrainian citizens on a paid basis through mandatory health insurance.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
In the United States, there is no single (universal) system of mandatory state health insurance. Thus, federal authorities do not guarantee the provision of medical services to all citizens living in the United States. Instead, health insurance is provided by employers, as separately specified in the employment agreement (contract), or through individual purchase of an insurance policy from private insurance companies. Persons who do not have an insurance policy cover the costs of doctor visits or medication purchases out of their own pocket. It should be noted that the cost of medical services in the United States is extremely high.
According to the law, any person, regardless of citizenship, immigration status, presence or absence of health insurance, and ability to pay, has the right to seek emergency medical care at any hospital that has an emergency department. In turn, such a hospital is obliged to receive the patient and conduct a medical examination. If a serious condition is confirmed, the hospital must admit the patient for treatment until their condition stabilizes, or, if it is impossible to provide adequate emergency medical care, ensure their immediate transfer to another hospital. Moreover, the law prohibits hospitals from delaying medical examination or further treatment to check the client's solvency.
TUNISIA
Tunisian legislation provides for compulsory health insurance for persons of working age. The presence of a health insurance policy is a necessary condition for hospitals to provide emergency medical care free of charge.
TURKEY
Emergency medical care free of charge is not provided to foreigners, in particular, Ukrainian citizens.
HUNGARY
Ukrainian citizens have the right to receive free emergency medical care in cases that require urgent medical intervention and when failure to provide such care threatens the patient's life or may lead to other serious consequences.
FINLAND
Medical institutions of the country provide services to foreigners if they have an insurance policy or at the expense of the foreign citizen or the receiving party.
FRANCE
The French healthcare system does not provide free emergency medical care to either its own citizens or foreigners. In this regard, according to the visa application procedure established by the French side, Ukrainian citizens must submit, along with other documents, a health insurance policy valid for the duration of the visa.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Medical care, including emergency care, is provided to Ukrainian citizens exclusively on a paid basis. Foreigners are obliged to have a health insurance policy unless otherwise provided by interstate agreements or treaties. In this regard, the presence of a health insurance policy is one of the requirements for Ukrainian citizens to obtain permission to enter the territory of the Czech Republic.
SWITZERLAND
The Swiss medical system operates on the basis of insurance, which makes it impossible to provide assistance free of charge.
SWEDEN
Emergency medical care to foreign citizens is provided exclusively on a paid basis or subject to having health insurance policies.
JAPAN
For uninsured foreigners, as well as for the local population, medical consultations and assistance are provided on a general basis on a paid basis.
The overview was prepared based on materials from the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.