Medical Care
Cyprus has a very high standard of medical services. Hospitals, private clinics and medical centres are equipped with the latest facilities. The latest technology and operating techniques are standard, with heart bypass surgery and kidney transplantation now routine in hospitals.
Many Cyprus doctors of various faculties jointly run polyclinics whose standard is comparable to other highly developed countries. High standards can also be judged by statistics which show that one in every 600 Cypriots is a qualified member of the medical profession.
Doctors and dentists, both specialists and general practitioners, are available everywhere and their fees are quite low compared to European standards. Low cost international private medical insurance is available for non-Cypriot people living in Cyprus.
The EU Health Directive came into force on 1 January 2006. This allows EU Citizens to obtain state health service treatment anywhere in the EU and four other countries including Iceland and Switzerland. In effect all the member states health services are now available to any EU citizen.
To obtain an EU health certificate you must apply to the Health Service of your resident country. Most EU countries began issuing the card in 2005, with the UK making it available from 1 September 2005.
A UK resident planning to travel in Europe should apply for the new EU Health Card before leaving. The UK Health Service will issue UK residents with a card confirming they will pay for medical treatment while living or travelling abroad in the EU for up to five years. There are errors in the issue of cards so make sure yours is dated correctly for five years.
This is adequate “health insurance” to meet Cyprus’ immigration requirements which means that a person under state retirement age does not need to have private medical insurance.
Note: The EU Health Card is not a substitute for full travel insurance.
If private medical insurance is required there are three types of policy offering different levels of cover and premium:
• Local Cyprus Private Medical Insurance: lower cost, acute conditions only, limited cover
• International Private Medical Insurance: highest cost, suits international workers
• Bespoke Private Medical Insurance: medium cost, full cover, gets you home