Healthcare in Hungary

Állami Szívkórház ("State Heart Hospital") in Balatonfüred, resort town by Lake Balaton

Hungary has a tax-funded universal healthcare system, organized by the state-owned National Health Insurance Fund (Hungarian: Nemzeti Egészségbiztosítási Alapkezelő (NEAK)). While healthcare is considered universal, several reasons persist preventing Hungarian nationals to access healthcare services. For instance, a Hungarian citizen who lived abroad but is unable to show contributions to another country's healthcare system will not be able to access the Hungarian healthcare system free of charge. However, to the OECD, 100% of the total population is covered by universal health insurance,[1] which is absolutely free for children (all people under 16), mothers or fathers with babies, students, pensioners (everyone over 64), people with low income, handicapped people (including physical and mental disorders),[2] priests and other church employees.[3] In 2022 the cost of public health insurance is 8,400 HUF per month (280 HUF/day) which is the equivalent of $23.69.[4] The healthcare system underwent significant changes which also resulted in improving life expectancy (7.48 years for men and 4.92 years for women between 1993 and 2013)[5] and a very low infant mortality rate (4.6 per 1,000 live births in 2014).[5] According to the OECD Hungary spent 7.8% of its GDP on health care in 2012. Total health expenditure was $US1,688.7 per capita in 2011, US$1,098.3governmental-fund (65%) and US$590.4 private-fund (35%).[6]

Doctors' pay is the lowest among the OECD countries. General practitioners are paid 1.4 times the average wage and hospital specialists 1.6 times.[7]

  1. ^ OECD (June 27, 2013). "OECD Health Data: Social protection". OECD Health Statistics (database). Paris: OECD. doi:10.1787/data-00544-en. Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  2. ^ . List of the entitled people for free insurance, National Healthcare Fund, 2013[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ Dőzsölők és szűkölködők - Miből gazdálkodnak az egyházak?, Figyelő (financial status of the churches in Hungary, Hungarian) Archived 2015-04-17 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Vámhivatal, Nemzeti Adó-és. "Fizetendő járulékok 2015-2022". Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2022-05-24.
  5. ^ a b Vital statistics, Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH)
  6. ^ Health: Key Tables from OECD, OECDiLibrary
  7. ^ "Countries Where Doctors Get Paid the Least". Doctor CPR. 13 July 2015. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2018.