There is a wide variety of private healthcare options in Budapest. Expat Echo weighs the options…Employers of expats residing in Hungary are responsible for paying into their national health care. Additionally, many assignees receive international private health insurance allowing them to explore private health care options in Hungary. All offer standard services such as dermatology, ear-nose-throat, neurology, orthopedics, psychiatry, psychology, radiology, minor surgery, ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, urology, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Some offer special services like dentistry, headache or allergy treatment. We have researched the ‘big five’ and taken a sample of their main services to compare.

FirstMed

The FirstMed team has been providing high-quality, private medical care to the residents of Hungary since 1999, initially as the American Clinic. Country manager, Peter de Groot explains: ‘We are dedicated to providing international standard outpatient care in a professional, patient-focused environment and setting the standard for healthcare delivery in Hungary. We pride ourselves on practicing good, appropriate medicine. We offer convenient appointment hours and have a wide range of onsite equipment and facilities, including laboratory, x-ray mammography and ultrasound’

The FirstMed team consists of over 60 physicians, nurses, x-ray/lab technicians, and administrative support staff.  All team members are fluent in English and Hungarian. Additionally, some speak other languages including German, French, Finnish, Italian, and Romanian.

Services on offer include a full spectrum of family medicine, with specialists in more than 20 fields, plus 24-hour urgent care, 365 days a year with on-call physicians, either over the phone, at the centre, or even as a house call. They also offer examinations for immigration, work and residence permits, and driving licenses, as well as annual physicals, school physicals and health maintenance exams. Should your condition require a stay in hospital, FirstMed will coordinate your ambulatory and hospital care, or if needed, medical evacuation.

Other services provided include:
- Vaccinations
- Dentistry
- Prenatal care
- Preventative care (preventative screenings, first aid classes, travel medicine)

FirstMed offers a range of comprehensive healthcare packages, and has direct billing arrangements with an extensive list of international insurance companies.

FirstMed is located in the landmark Hattyúház building right in the heart of Budapest within easy access of public transportation: Metro, Tram and Bus. There is also a dedicated free underground parking area in the building itself reserved exclusively for patients.

Pricing:

Pricing examples [without FirstMed cover plans]:

Here are the updated regarding their prices:

• GP consultation: 17 200 – 65 800 HUF
• Specialist Consultation: 20 800 – 77 800
• Well Child Check: 28 800 – 50 900 HUF
• Health Maintenance / Manager Screening: 72 400 HUF
• Annual Gynecological Exam: 32 000 HUF
• Pregnancy Package: 420 000 HUF

Contacts:
address: Hattyúház
Hattyú utca 14, 5th floor
1015 Budapest
e-mail: info@firstmedcenters.com
phone: +36-1-224-9090

Rózsakert Medical Center

Rozsakert Medical Center was founded in 2001 by Dr Gyula Csermely and Dr. Margaret Helbach. Their newly expanded facility can be found on the top floor of the Rozsakert Shopping Centre in the heart of District II. It offers a comprehensive American-style clinic with English speaking staff. As the clinic is renowned within the expat community, it strives to keep abreast of international medical standards.

Dr Eszter Bodnár explains: ‘All staff participate in overseas training courses, and nine of Rozsakert’s doctors are certified in the US. Besides providing 24 hour emergency service (including an on call pediatrician), the practice also has established links with hospital in Budapest, including BIK and Telki hospitals with members of their own staff available at these facilities to follow through your care.’

She continued: ‘Since our opening in 2001 we have experienced rapid growth. We opened as a one room practice and now our centre is 600 sqm. We are able to provide a more relaxed atmosphere with clients than in the state owned hospitals.’

The facility is managed by Dr Gyula Csermely and offers direct billing facilities for Aetna, Allianz, Bupa, Cigna, DavidShield, IMG, Medihelp, Tricare Europe, Expacare, Colonial Medical, and IF Travel Insurance Company. There are 230 parking spaces on two floors, to the right from the entrance of the shoppnig mall, which cost 150 HUF for two hours. Validation cards are available for clinic patients.

Special services offered at the centre are headache treatment, a chiropractor, and allergy specialist, Down’s syndrome screening, genetic counseling in obstetrics, proctology, psychology counseling during pregnancy, radiology (X-ray, mommography), special fetal heart ultrasound, newborn and infant hearing screening, and varricose vein therapy.

Pricing:

• GP:  100-120 EUR
• Home Visits:  50.000-60.000 HUF
• Pregnancy Package:  140.000 HUF per trimester (total 420.000 HUF)
• Vaccinations:  starting at 11.500 HUF
• Manager Screening Packages (occupational examinations):
• Women 149.820 HUF – 275.120 HUF (depending on age)
• Men 139.320 HUF – 170.420 HUF (depending on age)

Contacts:
Phone: +36-1-391-5903
Fax: +36-1-200-6050
e-mail: info@medical-center.hu
address: Rózsakert Bevásárló Központ 3. em.
1026 Budapest Gábor Áron u. 74-78/a.

Telki Hospital and outpatient clinic

Telki Hospital opened in 1998 as the first private hospital in Hungary. It offers both inpatient and outpatient services. It is located in the town of Telki, just outside Budapest, and is still the only private hospital serving Budapest and the surrounding areas. The practice boasts five star treatment and is surrounded by beautiful gardens to enhance full relaxation while you are visiting. The facility has free parking adjacent to the hospital.

In particular, it has become the hospital of choice for most expats having their babies in Hungary. Andrea Kuharszky, key account manager at Telki explains: ‘Mothers should feel that they are safe in the hands of competent experts, who not only pay attention to the mandatory prenatal examinations, but also focus on the special needs that may arise during pregnancy. We offer regular and thorough care, and detailed information to expectant mothers every step of the way. Every type of cutting edge technology is made available at our hospital, like the genetic examinations, ultrasound, and even 4D baby cinemas.’

They have also recently opened an outpatient facility in District XII, which is replete with state of the art modern equipment, and set in comfortable surroundings in the Buda Hills. This facility offers a full spectrum of outpatient care, with 14 types of screening examinations on offer including mammogram screening, opthamology, audiology and cardiology. The centre also offers comprehensive dental treatment (including one of Buda’s two full dental X-ray machines).

Contacts:
HEALTH CARE CENTRE
1121 Budapest, Budakeszi út 36/C
Phone: +36-40-372-300, from abroad: +36-1-459-6555
Fax: +36-1-802-4615
E-mail: recepcio@telkihospital.hu

TELKI HOSPITAL
H-2089 Telki, Kórház fasor 1.
Phone: +36-1-459-6555
Fax: +36-26-372-267
E-mail: telkihospital@telkihospital.hu

Pricing Deals:
Contracted with: ADOSZT, Aranykor, Axa, Dimenzió, Egészségért, Erőnlét, Évgyűrűk, Extra-Fit, Honvéd, K&H Medicina, Kristály, Medicover, MKB, OTP, Patika, Pro-Vita, Postás, Tempo, Vasutas, Vitamin.
Other Partners: Generali-Providencia, Uniqua, Sonnenhof-Swisshealth, Raditec, Kogart.

Pricing:

• 10,000 HUF GP normal consultation
• 20,000 – 30,000 specialist consultation
• Paediatric check-up:  20,000 HUF
• Basic General Health Check:  60,000 HUF
• Baby Delivery (normal):
  305,000 (additional cost may arise with different medical needs)

Medicover

Medicover was established in 1994 by Bengt Beckmann, the founder of Africa Air Rescue Health Services with the first centre opening in Budapest in 1998. Two more centres in Budapest opened in 2005 and 2006 giving a total of more than 100 medical staff. Medicover also has a network of affiliated partners embracing 270 health care providers throughout Hungary, who are regularly audited.

Arguably the most reasonably priced private health centre in Budapest, Medicover was initially started as an occupational health centre, with a focus on providing medical checks for corporate and other purposes. Today, they offer a full spectrum of family medicine, with 23 medical specialties, including dentistry, cardiology, and paediatrics. As well as accepting a wide variety of health insurance policies, they also offer their own three tier member system, which gives customers access to Medicover centres all over Eastern Europe. Medicover are also introducing their own helth insurance products in the near future.

Medicover also operates a 24/7 hotline with multilingual, medically trained personnel, with all calls recorded for convenient recall at a later date.

West End Health Care Centre
Opened in November 2001 and is now the flagship clinic for Medicover in Hungary. There are 20 different available specialties on one site, allowing comprehensive out-patient care. The location right next to the West End shopping centre in the middle of the city is convenient for most expats.

Contacts:
address: 1132 Budapest, Váci út 22-24.
phone: +36-1-465-3100
Parking: from Radnóti Miklós utca to floor -2, free parking

Infopark Service Point
Opened in November 2005  in the 11th district in Buda on the ground-floor of Building I in Infopark. Primarily provides occupational health care.

Contacts
address: 1117 Budapest, Infopark sétány 1., Infopark I.
phone: +36-1-465-3100
Parking: free open parking lots on Neumann János street, a Hevesy György street, a Magyar Tudósok street, and buildings E/F

Szépvölgyi Health Care Centre
Latest addition to Medicover in Budapest, it opened in April 2007 in Szépvölgyi Business Park at the border of the 2nd and 3rd district, one HÉV stop from Margit Híd.

Contacts
address: 1037 Budapest, Szépvölgyi Business Park, Montevideo u. 5.
phone: +36-1-465-3100
e-mail: info@medicover.hu
Parking: free parking lot entering from Montevideo street.

Pricing:

• Medicover entrance GOLD – Couple – Annual:  709. 200 HUF
• GOLD Family – Annual (unlimited amount of children)  976, 800 HUF
• BLUE Couple – Annual   366.000 HUF
• BLUE Family – 2 children – Annual  596, 400 HUF
• Consultation with specialist  4200 HUF
• Gynecological examination  13900 HUF
• Prescription  2400 HUF

Dr. Rose Medical Center

The newest clinic in town, Dr Rose Medical Center,  opened just 2.5 years ago, combines all the advantages of a fully-equipped hospital and a patient-orientated private clinic. The clinic provides over 20 specialty services such as Cardiology, Gynecology, Prenatal Care, Dermatology, Medical Cosmetology, Rheumatology and several more. The clinic has an operating room for non-complicated surgeries and procedures plus they provide some inpatient facilities. They accept many international health plans, but also provide their own comprehensive coverage.  In the beautiful Roosevelt ter., it’s location its not only scenic, but accessible with several public transit options and parking facilities available as well. After hour options are available for VIP card members and there is a 24 hour Hotline for health related questions.

Dr. Rose has also become an International Vaccination Center in 2009.  The Center works in accordance with the professional recommendation of CDC (Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention), and WHO (World Health Organization).

Please take note that the prices are for foreigners who do not  have a Hungarian Social Number.

Pricing:

• General Practitioner:  40.000 HUF
• Child check-up:  40.000 HUF
• Basic health check:  40.000 HUF
• Administering Vaccinations:  24.000 HUF
• Gynecologic examination:  40.000HUF
• Cytology:  19.000 HUF

7-8. Roosevelt ter
1051 Budapest
HOTLINE: +36-1-377-6737
info@drrose.hu

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