How Much is Health Insurance in Albania
- Overview of the health care system in Albania Public Health System The financing source of the public health system in Albania is both from government and mandatory contributions made both by employers and staff. However, in this system, providing primary health care, the framework of provision cannot be scaled up to the level of the rest of Europe because of deficits in financing, underdevelopment of infrastructure, and lack of staff.
Private Health System
Due to better quality and higher access, private health care services are in heavy demand. In addition, they are accompanied by tremendous prices. Hence, most citizens along with expatriates opt for private health care insurance so that they might receive the opportunity to avail these services at moderate prices. - Types of Health Insurance in Albania
Public Health Insurance
The Albanian Health Insurance Institute HII, is on public health insurance. Employees pay contributions made as a percentage of income and employers pay for such contributions too.
Costs
Employees: Contributions: Normally is 3.4% gross income with contributions paid both by the employer and the employee.
Self-employed: The contribution is declaration of income which contributes at specific rates every year.
What’s Covered
Primary Health Care
Emergency Treatment
Number of hospital consultations and surgery
Prescriptions are partially covered
Only covers emergency, diagnostics, and other conditions that will require no immediate treatment
Privately insured
Suits a person who wants comprehensive cover with waiting period very short and to new buildings.
Costs
It is quite costly, however. Cost depends on the type of cover:
Basic Plans: €20–€50/month
Comprehensive Plans: from €100–€300 per month especially on expatriates or those requiring international covers.
Determinants of Private Insurance Price
Age and health status
Type of benefits (in-patients, out-patients, maternity care, dental)
International cover available in a
Deductions and co-payments
Providers
Among specific ones private insurance companies in Albania include;
Sigal Uniqa Group Austria
Eurosig
Intersig
Sigma Albania
- Health Insurance by Type
Expatriates and Aliens
In addition to the state’s health scheme, there are other private insurance programs targeting expats and foreigners in Albania. Other health insurance companies are Cigna, Allianz, and AXA; all offer personalized packages to their expat customers as well.
Expatriate Charges
Basic Policies: €60-€150 per month
Integrated Policies: €200-€500 per month
Unemployed and Low-Wage Residents
These fall under government schemes for health insurance provided at subsidized rates. The contribution is exempted or partly based on the state of finances.
Students
International students have to look up for private health insurance as the country has tied up with a very few countries wherein the services can be availed free of cost. The policies range from as low as € 30 and go as high as around €100 per month.
- Problems and Grievances to be Addressed
Government vs. Private
Government Health Insurance: Much cheaper, but usually there is an inordinately long waiting time and abysmal service quality.
Private Health Insurance: Better quality, greater choice, and at an enormously higher cost .
Healthcare Quality
Quality of public health largely varies town to countryside. There are first-world facilities and services at major city private hospitals; one thinks of Tirana.
International Coverage
Some migrants and tourists would require health insurance abroad only if there was a possibility of getting hospitalized abroad - Scheme Average monthly premium Coverage Benefits Public Insurance ~3.4% of salary Standard, Emergency care prescription subsidising Private (Basic) €20–€50 General treatment outpatient, Hospitalization basic
Private (Comprehensive) 100€–300€ In-patient/out-patient full range of services, diagnostic, coverage internationally possible,
60€–500€TYPically managed to suit the need of services abroad - Examples in Practice
Corporate Employee
Around 17€ will be covered, a monthly wage of 500€ for public health. Other treatments will be covered by private insurance that covers around 50€ a month.
Expatriate Employee
An expat employee working in Tirana should take a private package with full scope of insurance outside Albania. The cost will then be 250€ a month.
Pensioner
A pensioner with incurable diseases will have to purchase private customized care at €300/month to pay to visit the specialist and to obtain access to the drugs that he needs. - Deciding Health Insurance in Albania
Know Your Needs: Know whether public medicine is enough or whether private health insurance will be necessary.
Compare Sellers: Compare the different private insurers by price paid and amount of coverage.
Exclusions: The policy should clearly indicate what is excluded from the cover. For example, and notably, pre-existing conditions or elective treatments.
International Insurance: Of wide use to expats and itinerant travelers as they cover more
Use Brokers: An insurance broker would give an opinion and negotiate at better price rates . - Conclusion
Health insurance in Albania is one of the important factors for locals, expats, and visitors. Public health insurance provides the blanket of basic needs coverage, while private insurance promises everything on issues of access and quality of care. There is fold after fold of private insurance depending on the kind of policy that covers the services. People, more often than not, opt for private insurance when they are in dire need of quality health services. Actually, you would be making a really very wise decision if you can’t balance your health needs with the financial situation.
