Turkey Discussion Forum

Discussions regarding holidays in Turkey.
Rip off Hospital
36 Posts
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All services like that are expensive in Turkey, And their Holiday Insurance should cover the cost, Depending on the level of Insurance.
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I had the misfortune of having to attend this hospital last year after falling down wet apartment stairs; I dislocated two toes and had to have two injection and two x-ray's then the toes put back into to place, I was charged ( and had to pay ) nearly £400 " on the spot"
Luckily I had this money although not with me at the time, they made my husband return to the apartments to get the money before they would let me leave the hospital. They took my passport no and told me to claim from my insurance when I got home.
The treatment I received from the Ambulance staff & doctors and staff within the hospital was second to none and I doubt if I would have received the same treatment as quickly in a NHS hospital in my own country, the cleanliness of the Turkish hospital was amazing.
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The excess on insurance is anything from £50 - £100 on most policy's so the insurance won't cover the cost.

IMO it is out of order to charge someone £200 for paracetamol and then to drop the price to £50 when told that they had no money to cover this.

Paracetamol costs pennys.
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I wonder how much an ambulance costs with flashing lights to both attend then transfare the patient to hospital?,also may have had on board a paramedic
I dont think the charge was excessive and is definately not a rip off, if it HAD been food poisening and his life had been saved.

Gene
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We had the misfortune of using the hospital last year in Marmaris where unfortunatley our friend passed away. Couldnt fault the hospital at all, from ambulance picking up at hotel to treatment to being informed our friend had passed away. They was better than any hospital ive ever used here in the UK & no money was asked for at any point. Was all dealt with by insurance co. But this is just my opinion of our treatment. :cry
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My wife took serously ill with pneumonia last year and spent 6 days in Ahu Hetman hospital near the GIMA shopping centre. teatment was first class the hospital was spotlessly clean, although treatment and prescriptions from chemist were expensive.

I have been going to Turkey for 10 years and that was the first time I took my credit card. Just as well as the hospital bill was over £2500, which I paid and then claimed back. And to think we criticise our own NHS

Stewart
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I went in an ambulance to marmaris in 5 years ago and it cost me £50 not sure how much it would be 5 years on. I also went to the hospital in Icmeler last year and got a prescription of the doctor when i went back to the apartments with them i asked my friend to translate the instructions to me as they were supposed to be breathing problems and he said it had cost me £20 for box of paracetamol. Cant fault the medical services over there the 2 hospitals I have been in have been very clean
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please please please take out holiday insurance... hospitals here are great, the service is first class but the prices are horrendous
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Please send that message to Turkish Tourism Office and CNNTURK.COM and NTV.COM and Turkish news papers.. please please please.
That situation is not only about tourists.
if a Turk have not money and social securty ,he can not take service in state hospitals or special hospitals . result : ''he died''

Turks say that situation '' paran yoksa öl !'' ''if you have not money , you die !''
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After speaking to my daughter today without the tears and the sleepy mind on my part i got the full story.....

Her boyfriend was ill she went to reception and told them how ill he was they said they would call a doctor and he would probably take him to hospital with "flashing lights"

The "doctor" came to the hotel and examined him and asked for £200 to make him "better" she told him they didn't have £200 so he said ok i take £50 and give him pills to make him better, she paid him this and he left.
It wasn't till this morning that she found out it was only paracetamol.

She has just rang me and said the "doctor" had just turned up to a Turkish night the hotel was holding she asked one of the waiters why the "doctor" was there and he told her he was a friend of the manager!!

It sounds to me like an even BIGGER rip off, they only need one or two people needing a call out for a "doctor" for it to be a nice little earner for them!

Istanbul29.....

I understand what you are saying and agree with you. Last year we got talking to a waiter with really bad back problems and he was telling us how much it cost for drugs and treatment, god knows how the poor Turks deal with this i thank god we live in the UK and have the NHS.
  • Edited by boro_red 2008-07-02 20:15:18
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boro_red ;
I sad realy to your doughter :( I hope she s fine now.
Greetings to her from istanbul . :cheers God bless your family
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SSK... turks don't die! But please report the hotel...getting your mate the doctor is crazy...... it's only 20 ytl to see a doctor at the state hospital.70 ytl at a private hospital
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Thanks for that Chelsea boy.... how would we go about reporting the hotel, who would we report it to?

My daughter was so upset last night when she rang me she said she felt that the "doctor" and his manager mate where laughing at her for paying £50 for pills that cost pennies.

I would be grateful if you would let me know who to report this to. We are staying in the hotel next door to this one in September and i hope we don't bump in to this "doctor" as my husband is so mad about it.
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Can I say that ''consulting room'' in Turkish ''muayenehane''
There are some doctors' private consulting room in Turkey. They works in there weekends or evenings or They only works there (like an independence doctor) and to see 100-150 YTL in those places (in a middle class town) to see in superclass towns 300-400 YTL. (I talk about istanbul)
Also chelseaboy, poor Turks die !
an oldman he s single ,he have not many or social securty
hospital says ''go away ''
look http://www.kenthaber.com/Arsiv/Haberler/2005/Temmuz/14/Haber_73084.aspx
''Paran yoksa öl'' ''if you have not money , die !''
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i always pay the excess waiver on my insurance and when i had to go to a hospital in Marmaris (don't know what it was called) they looked at my insurance and didn't ask for any money just took the details. I was collected in an ambulance from Icmeler taken to Icmeler medical centre, when i got there they said they were wanting for me at Marmaris, I didn't have to get out of the ambulance to find this out they told them as soon as we pulled up, and driven back to the hotel by a driver. Had a bed for over an hour and had tests. Maybe it has something to do with the excess waiver. But as others have said it was spotless and the service was second to none. I also had to go back there afew days later for a check up.

ola
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Please send that message to Turkish Tourism Office and CNNTURK.COM and NTV.COM and Turkish news papers.. please please please.
That situation is not only about tourists.
if a Turk have not money and social securty ,he can not take service in state hospitals or special hospitals . result : ''he died''

Turks say that situation '' paran yoksa öl !'' ''if you have not money , you die !''


sorry Istanbul29...you are not 100% right and paint a false image to tourists about the health system in Turkey...

If you work in Turkey for a company you are entitled to SSK ( T.C. Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanlığı Sosyal Sigortalar Kurumu )...if you are a working class ( memur ) you also have health benifts...and there is also Bağ-kur ( T.C. Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu | Bağ-Kur Genel Müdürlüğü ) ...even the retired turks are entitled to health benefits..

If a person has NO money and no means of support...then they are entitled to a yeÅŸil kart ( green card ) which they apply for with their local mutar or government ( kaymakam - mayor )

as great as they may not be..you can still get some form of health care in Turkey..and will not be turned away..

Private hospitals and or private clinics yes cost more..like chelsea boy has already mentioned and it will vary in costs from city to city...and yes özel ( private doctors ) are the most expensive...but government and state hospitals are reasonable in price..I have used both...and even now with Bağ-Kur I can go into a private clinic for a check up or problem and pay nothing ..it is covered by my insurance...

some things can cost extra...but this is billed to you after your release from the hospitals...all in all ...it go to show that you should have good travel health insurance...

As for the the original poster to the question..geçmiş olsun..get well.. sorry for your situation...but I think everywhere in the world for health care if you dont have insurance is expensive..have a look at the United States as an example...no where in the world is perfect...
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istanbul29...no I am not but I am married to one for 18 yrs now and have been living in Turkey for over 11 yrs......but I do now have my turkish citizen so yes I can be proud to say that I now am turkish citizen...of course I feel for people who do not or cannot recieve health care...but over the past few years slowly improvements have been made in the health care system..like I said before it is far from perfect..

And again to the original poster..hope all is better now...
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caretta ;
There are many good hospitals in Turkey I know, even I watched on TV, 200,000 foreigner come to Turkey for Healt Tourism every year.
But There are many problems in Turkey too
Yes I hope,too .All will better, inshallah.
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