Health Matters In Turkey (2): Tourists' Medical Bills; Who Pays?

Last Tuesday, I explained the extremely widespread, and from my own experience much appreciated, availability of late-night chemists.
Today's topic is another health-related issue that understandably concerns international short-stay visitors: If you need to see a doctor, who covers your expenses? I shall address the subject of long-stay (expat) residents' health costs in a future article.
The most important thing for holiday-makers is to take out travel and medical insurance. But you must read the fine print! For example, some insurers will cover repatriation in case of a serious incident, others will not. And every year we hear from foreign guests who all of a sudden had to undergo extended in-patient hospital treatment, but their insurance policy would not cover it. Patients were not only left paying out of pocket but stranded at the clinic, too, which understandably cannot just let you go home when a huge bill awaits payment from overseas.
The above paragraph mentions extended hospital stays, which may become necessary as a result of an accident, such as a leg broken while skiing. If you simply need to see the emergency ward of your nearest hospital, the first check-up (and probably the remedy to your problem) is free, regardless of whether the patient is foreign or local, except for prescribed drugs. The latter case would apply if, for example, a restaurant suspects food poisoning and calls the ambulance to have you checked in at the hospital. I am not saying that food poisoning is common in Turkey, far from it, and it happens everywhere, but it is a good illustrative point.
If you see a doctor on your own for minor to “half-way serious” problems, you will have to pay up front, both for the consultation and any related medicines. Even if a foreign insurance covers this particular condition, it will only reimburse you, not settle directly with the consultant.
There are many doctors who speak English (and other foreign languages) to be found in almost all tourist areas, and of course in the bigger cities. Either your insurance provider will have given you a list of hospitals it cooperates with, or your embassy may have published a list of doctors near where you plan to go. Your hotel may have its very own doctor on stand-by, or will refer you to someone they know who speaks your language. In some tourist hotspots, it is not uncommon to find many private clinics specializing in treating foreign visitors, as well.
But how much could it actually cost, even if your insurance will reimburse you later? What is a good amount to keep in a safe place? On the one hand, a visit to a top private hospital (‘özel hastanesi') with an out-patient condition, let us say a painful throat infection (a real-life case from my own family) that stems from you know not what or where, would set you back around TL 400. How do I know? I asked how much they would charge my insurer, out of journalistic curiosity.
On the other hand, a brief stop-over at a practitioner to ask for a prescription of painkillers for an upset stomach could cost well under TL 100, medicines included. Make your calculation, set some funds aside in cash, as not all foreign credit cards are accepted (again, personal experience). And in case you need drugs regularly, either have a supply with you that you brought from home or have their brands written down so the same or similar medicines can be located over here.
I always think, as long as we are insured we will not need it; please travel under coverage, so to speak, and have great holidays!

KLAUS JURGENS (Cihan/Today's Zaman)