Private and public health insurance of Romania (Make informed choices)

Romania’s healthcare system comprises a public health insurance scheme managed by the National Health Insurance Fund (CNAS) and a growing private health insurance market. Both aim to provide access to medical services, but they differ significantly in scope, cost, and quality of care.

Eligibility and Enrollment

Public health insurance in Romania is essentially mandatory for all legal residents who contribute through payroll deductions (9% of gross income). This includes employees, pensioners, and other contributors, covering them and their dependents automatically. In contrast, private health insurance is voluntary and open to anyone willing to pay the premiums, including expats, self-employed, and locals seeking faster or more comprehensive care.

Coverage and Services

The CNAS public system provides broad coverage including primary care, specialist consultations, emergency and hospital services, maternity care, and preventive measures. Some dental services are available but limited, mainly to vulnerable groups. While public insurance offers mostly free or highly subsidized services, some specialized diagnostics or treatments might require co-payments or are simply not covered.

Private health insurance, offered by companies like LuxMed, Medicover, ENEL-MED, PZU, and Polmed, typically extends beyond the public package. It offers quicker access to specialists, modern private clinics and hospitals, elective procedures, comprehensive dental care, maternity packages, and telemedicine services. Some plans also provide services in English and digital convenience such as online bookings.

Cost Structure

Public health insurance is primarily funded by income-based contributions (9% of salary) supplemented by government subsidies, making most basic care free at the point of use. Conversely, private insurance involves monthly premiums varying widely based on coverage levels, age, and provider. Private care tends to be more expensive, but many consumers accept this trade-off for shorter waiting times and enhanced comfort.

Access and Quality of Care

Access to care through the public system can be limited by regional disparities, overcrowding, and outdated infrastructure—especially outside urban centers. Waiting times for elective procedures or specialist visits may be long. On the other hand, private insurers provide access to well-equipped facilities with shorter wait times, more personalized care, and better amenities.

Consumer Experience and Language Support

While public healthcare is predominantly Romanian-speaking and sometimes faces communication challenges for foreigners, private insurers often have English-speaking staff and customer support, which is beneficial for expats. Additionally, private providers emphasize digital tools, including telemedicine and online scheduling, improving convenience.

Similarities

Both systems aim to deliver essential healthcare services and coexist within Romania’s evolving healthcare landscape. They share objectives of improving health outcomes, preventive care, and expanding access—though their means differ. Moreover, many Romanians use private insurance as a complement to public coverage, combining benefits from both sectors.

Summary Table

Top Public Health Insurances in Romania: Cost, Coverage, Accessibility, and Consumer Satisfaction

Romania’s public healthcare system is primarily managed through a centralized, government-run body known as the National Health Insurance Fund (Casa Națională de Asigurări de Sănătate – CNAS). Unlike many countries with multiple competing public insurers, Romania operates with a single national public health insurance provider, CNAS, which covers virtually the entire population that contributes to the social health insurance system. Therefore, this section focuses exclusively on CNAS as the primary public health insurance in Romania.

1. National Health Insurance Fund (CNAS)(Official website: https://www.cnas.ro/)

Cost:
Public health insurance in Romania is funded mainly through mandatory payroll contributions. Employees contribute approximately 9% of their gross monthly income to CNAS. Employers may also contribute, and the government subsidizes the fund to cover vulnerable groups, such as pensioners and unemployed individuals. For the insured, most basic healthcare services are free or highly subsidized at the point of use.

Available Services / Coverage Features:
CNAS offers a wide range of healthcare services including:

• Primary care (general practitioners)
  
• Specialist consultations and outpatient services
  
• Hospitalization and emergency care
  
• Maternity care and child health services
  
• Preventive care and vaccinations
  
• Some dental treatments (mostly limited to children, pensioners, or specific vulnerable groups)
  
• Pharmaceuticals included in national reimbursement lists
  

However, coverage can be limited for advanced diagnostics, elective procedures, and certain dental or cosmetic treatments, which may require co-payments or supplementary private insurance.

Open for All or Limited:
CNAS public health insurance is open to all Romanian citizens and legal residents who are contributors to the social health insurance system. This includes salaried employees, pensioners, students, and self-employed individuals who register and pay contributions. Family members without income are also covered for free under the insured’s policy. Certain groups, such as unemployed individuals or people on social assistance, are covered through government subsidies.

Core Financial Features:

• Contribution-based financing: Payroll taxes at a flat rate of 9%
  
• Free or highly subsidized care: Most essential health services are free at point of use
  
• Co-payments: Required in some cases, such as for non-emergency ambulance use, some diagnostics, or elective treatments
  
• No direct premiums: Coverage is tied to employment or government-subsidized status rather than a premium-based system
  
• Budget constraints: CNAS operates within government-allocated budgets, which sometimes leads to resource shortages
  

Consumer Satisfaction Score:
Consumer satisfaction with CNAS is mixed and generally moderate. According to various patient surveys and reports:

• Many appreciate the wide availability of basic services and free care at the point of use.
  
• Common complaints include long waiting times, overcrowded facilities, regional disparities (urban vs rural), and outdated equipment.
  
• Quality of care tends to be better in large cities compared to rural areas.
  
• Some patients supplement public care with private services due to perceived inefficiencies or delays in the public system.
  

While exact consumer satisfaction scores vary, studies and patient polls typically rate CNAS in the range of 5 to 6 out of 10, indicating room for improvement but also broad accessibility.

Summary

Top 5 Private Health Insurances in Romania: Cost, Coverage, Accessibility, Financial Features, and Consumer Satisfaction

In Romania, private health insurance has grown rapidly as a complementary option to the public system, offering faster access, broader coverage, and enhanced services. Here are the top five private health insurers operating in Romania, highlighting their costs, coverage, accessibility, financial features, and consumer satisfaction.

1. LuxMed(Official website: https://www.luxmed.ro/)

• Cost: Monthly premiums start around €30-€50 for basic outpatient plans; comprehensive packages including hospitalization and maternity care can range from €70 to €150+ depending on coverage.
  
• Available Services / Coverage: Wide network of private clinics and hospitals; covers outpatient consultations, diagnostics, specialist treatments, dental care, maternity, preventive screenings, and telemedicine services.
  
• Open for All or Limited: Open to individuals, families, and corporate groups; no significant restrictions for enrollment.
  
• Core Financial Features: Fixed monthly premiums; some plans allow flexible add-ons; direct billing with many providers reduces out-of-pocket expenses.
  
• Consumer Satisfaction: High; users praise the quality of facilities, professionalism of staff, and streamlined appointment processes. Rated 8/10 in customer surveys.

2. Medicover(Official website: https://www.medicover.ro/)

• Cost: Basic plans start at approximately €25-€45 per month; comprehensive plans with hospital and dental coverage can go up to €100-€200 monthly.
  
• Available Services / Coverage: Extensive private hospitals and clinics network; services include specialist consultations, outpatient and inpatient care, dental services, maternity, diagnostics, and personalized health packages.
  
• Open for All or Limited: Open to individuals, families, and businesses; widely available across Romania.
  
• Core Financial Features: Monthly premiums with tiered plans; some co-payments for advanced diagnostics; offers corporate group packages with negotiated rates.
  
• Consumer Satisfaction: Very positive; users appreciate the modern facilities, multilingual staff, and efficient customer service. Average rating 8.5/10.

3. ENEL-MED(Official website: https://www.enel-med.ro/)

• Cost: Entry-level plans start at around €20-€40 monthly; more inclusive plans may reach €80-€120 per month.
  
• Available Services / Coverage: Large presence in major cities; outpatient and inpatient care, diagnostic services, specialist consultations, telemedicine, and selective dental treatments.
  
• Open for All or Limited: Open to all individuals; corporate plans also available.
  
• Core Financial Features: Premium-based financing; co-payments may apply for some elective procedures; direct billing options offered.
  
• Consumer Satisfaction: Moderate to high; praised for accessibility and range of services but some reviews mention variability in customer support. Rating around 7.5/10.

4. PZU Romania(Official website: https://pzu.ro/)

• Cost: Premiums generally start at €25 monthly for basic coverage, rising to €100+ for more comprehensive plans.
  
• Available Services / Coverage: Offers outpatient and inpatient medical care, dental, maternity, preventive exams, and access to a network of private healthcare providers; mostly targets Polish expatriates but open to all.
  
• Open for All or Limited: Open to all residents but mainly serves Polish-speaking clients.
  
• Core Financial Features: Monthly premiums with optional add-ons; some plans require co-payments for specialized services.
  
• Consumer Satisfaction: Good among target demographic; rated around 7/10, with emphasis on strong claims handling and tailored plans.

5. Polmed(Official website: https://www.polmed.ro/)

• Cost: Starting from approximately €20-€35 per month; higher tiers reaching €80-€110 depending on services included.
  
• Available Services / Coverage: Private clinics access, diagnostics, specialist consultations, telemedicine, and selective dental services.
  
• Open for All or Limited: Open to individuals and corporate clients; flexible plan options.
  
• Core Financial Features: Fixed monthly premiums; some services may require co-payments; direct billing mostly available.
  
• Consumer Satisfaction: Moderate; users note good service quality but occasional limitations in coverage breadth. Customer rating roughly 7/10.

Summary Table of Top Private Health Insurers in Romania