14.06.2026 22:50
A female patient who applied to the emergency department of a private hospital in Istanbul reacted when she saw the 8 thousand lira examination fee charged to her. Sharing a video protesting on her social media account, the citizen criticized the emergency service fee policy of private hospitals.
A female patient who applied to the emergency department of a well-known private hospital chain in Istanbul was stunned when she saw the examination fee charged to her. Sharing a video on her social media account expressing her outrage, the citizen asked, "Aren't emergency services free?" and criticized the pricing policy of private hospitals.
"SHAME ON YOU, YOU HAVE NO CONSCIENCE!"
The woman, who stated that she went to a private hospital's emergency department with a high fever complaint, recorded her ordeal with her mobile phone camera. In her social media post, the young woman said, "We came to the hospital with a 39-degree fever, look at the emergency room... They said your examination fee is 8,000 lira. Can such a thing be possible? Shame on you, you have no conscience," harshly criticizing the hospital management.
"EMERGENCY SERVICE" DEBATE FLARES UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA
The video, which received thousands of views and comments in a short time, became one of the most talked-about topics on social media. Due to the widespread public perception that "private hospital emergency services are completely free," the 8,000 TL examination fee drew significant backlash from users. While many users stated they had experienced similar situations and called on the Ministry of Health for inspections, the incident reopened the debate on the regulations regarding emergency service fees in private hospitals.
WHAT DOES THE REGULATION SAY?
Following the social media debates, attention turned to the legal regulations. According to the Health Application Notification (SUT), it is forbidden to charge fees for consultations in private hospital emergency departments classified as the "red area," which involves sudden and severe illnesses posing a life threat.
However, for cases classified as the "green area" that do not carry life-threatening risks (such as mild fever, sore throat, etc.), hospitals have the right to charge additional fees at certain rates. In the recent incident, it became a matter of curiosity how a 39-degree fever was assessed under which color code and whether the 8,000 TL fee exceeded legal limits.