You can read these on the webpage for my piece, “Change is in the air: new mandatory health insurance for foreigners” (Jan. 26, 2012).
Here are a few of the comments from Today’s Zaman readers sent to me by email:
One of my friends, Canadian but has private insurance from an international company to cover his family, went in to register. He was told that since they have private insurance, they don’t need to, in fact, cannot register. He fits all the supposed requirements... been here for more than one year, has [had] a residence permit for more than a year....Confusing.... Thanks for writing about this!
Dear Charlotte: I went to the SGK [Social Security Institution] here in Antakya and was told that if I had insurance in America that would help cover my health bills in Turkey, it was not necessary for me to get SGK insurance here. Furthermore, there was nothing else that I needed to do. He stated that the law was amended to give foreigners “the right” to own health insurance in the Turkish system if they didn’t have it anywhere else. However, since I already had insurance, there was nothing else I needed to do. That was my experience.
From: Sunny South
Dear Charlotte: I am German. We have heard a rumor that all foreigners had to register before Jan. 31 with the SGK. We went to [the] SGK Beşiktaş close to Fındıklı and were told the following: As our country has a social security agreement with Turkey, we need to get a document from our health insurance in our home country and give that to the SGK. Then we get a document that will say that we should be treated like a normal Turkish person with SGK insurance. This document will allow us to have free treatment in state-run hospitals, and in other hospitals, we have to pay ourselves the amount that the SGK does not pay. We need to submit this paper to [the] SGK as soon as we can. Countries with no social security agreement with Turkey might be different. I think there is no need for action [from] those who have health insurance in their own country. From: A German living in Turkey
Dear Charlotte: If you are a British citizen, the information on the British Embassy website is relevant for you: http://ukinturkey.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/
These are key points: “After further discussion, we have established with the Turkish authorities that the situation is now as follows: Following our representations, the new compulsory requirement to register for Turkish health insurance will NOT apply to British residents in Turkey. But British residents who have already chosen to join the Turkish system will be allowed to continue in it. And other British residents will be allowed to join the Turkish scheme if they wish to do so.
Under the rules in their current form, those who have been resident for over a year and delay joining the Turkish system beyond the deadline of Jan. 31, 2012, can choose to join later; but they would have to make a backdated payment to cover the period from Jan. 31 if they had been resident in Turkey for a year at that date, and pay a fine. We are in continuing contact with the Turkish authorities over all this, including about the fine given that the situation remains confused and that our resident community members have not had adequate time or information to make such an important decision. We will let you know as soon as we have more information.” From: MMB (Istanbul)
I checked the US Embassy website as of Feb. 2 to see if an update had been posted but did not see any new information. The information posted there is informative, but the US Embassy is still working with Turkish authorities to obtain clarification of the new requirements.
I must admit the British Embassy always seems to come through on getting information for its citizens when new situations arise in Turkey! All I can recommend at this point is for non-Brits to see your embassy’s advice on the new mandatory health insurance for foreigners in Turkey and keep checking the SGK’s website. I guess it is still early yet to say exactly how this new law fully applies to US citizens and other foreigners.
Note: Charlotte McPherson is the author of “Culture Smart: Turkey, 2005.” Please keep your questions and observations coming, I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com
