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Romania · Health System

Healthcare in Romania

Verified data Last verified June 15, 2026 Reviewed by Henry van de Vorming

Before you move to Romania, the question that matters isn't "is the healthcare good" — it's "can I, on a temporary visa, actually use it, and what happens in an emergency?" Here's how the system works for a nomad, and where private insurance fits.

At a glance

System
Social health insurance (Bismarck)
Public access (nomads)
No — private insurance needed
Emergency number
112
Private GP visit
~€40
Care in English
English care in major cities

How the system works

Romania runs a single-payer social health insurance system. The National Health Insurance House (Casa Nationala de Asigurari de Sanatate, CNAS) and its 43 regional houses fund care, financed mainly by mandatory wage contributions plus state transfers, with the Ministry of Health setting policy. Insured residents get a broad benefits package (family doctor, specialists, hospital care, prescriptions) largely free at the point of use, though co-payments for specialist, hospital, lab and imaging services and high out-of-pocket spending on medicines exist. Romania has the EU's lowest health spending per capita (about EUR 1,800 PPP-adjusted in 2023 vs an EU average of EUR 3,832, and 5.8% of GDP vs the EU's ~10%), and roughly 11% of the population is uninsured. A fast-growing private sector (clinics and hospitals) handles a large share of outpatient demand, especially for expats and city dwellers seeking shorter waits and English-speaking staff.

Romania has a large, modern private healthcare sector concentrated in Bucharest and major cities (Cluj, Brasov, Timisoara, Iasi). Big chains such as Regina Maria, MedLife, Sanador, Medicover and Monza run their own clinics and hospitals, offer same-day or next-day appointments and commonly have English-speaking doctors. Prices are low by Western-European standards: a private GP/family-doctor consultation is roughly EUR 20-50 (around 300 lei for a short private visit in Bucharest), specialist visits about EUR 40-80. Many providers sell subscription plans, and local private health insurance typically runs about EUR 300-1,000 per year. Most expats and digital nomads rely on private clinics or international insurance rather than the public system, partly because public care can involve waits, uneven facility quality and informal payments.

Romania scores poorly on EU health outcome benchmarks. In the EU/OECD State of Health in the EU 2025 country profile, life expectancy was 76.6 years (2024), about 5.1 years below the EU average; treatable mortality (deaths avoidable through timely effective care) was the highest in the EU at 215 per 100,000 and preventable mortality the third-highest at 304 per 100,000 (both 2022). Out-of-pocket payments are about 23% of health spending, driven largely by medicines, and WHO has flagged that these payments and informal payments to providers create financial barriers to care. Private urban clinics are generally well-equipped and modern, but public-sector quality and access vary widely by region.

Good to know

  • Emergency number 112 covers ambulance and all emergencies; emergency and urgent care is provided regardless of insurance status, and emergency ambulance transport is free.
  • EU/EEA visitors can use a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for medically necessary public care during a temporary stay, on the same terms and cost as insured Romanians, but only at providers contracted with a local health insurance house.
  • Private care is modern and cheap by EU standards: a GP visit is roughly EUR 20-50 and English-speaking doctors are common at major chains (Regina Maria, MedLife, Medicover, Sanador) in Bucharest and other cities.
  • Once a non-EU foreigner works under a Romanian employment contract they gain insured status with the same rights as citizens, and temporary residents can also buy optional insurance from the health insurance house.

Watch out for

  • Non-EU nomads on a temporary visa are generally not covered by the public CNAS system and must hold private/travel health insurance; public coverage requires either employment contributions or buying optional insurance from the health insurance house.
  • EHIC and public coverage apply only at providers contracted with the public insurance fund; you must consult a contracted family doctor or specialist, and using non-contracted or private providers means paying out of pocket.
  • Public-sector quality, facilities and waiting times vary widely by region, out-of-pocket spending on medicines is high, and informal payments to staff are still reported, so most expats default to private clinics or international insurance.
  • GP cost figures are indicative private-clinic prices (about 300 lei / EUR 20-50 for a short consultation) and vary by city and provider; capital-city prices tend to be highest.

🩺 Insurance you'll need

Because temporary residents largely can't lean on the public system, and the Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) requires cover, private health insurance is part of the move — not an afterthought. We list the plans that plausibly meet Romania's requirement, ranked by fit.

See qualifying plans for Romania →

Healthcare in Romania: FAQ

Healthcare in Romania: FAQ

Can I use public healthcare in Romania as a digital nomad?

In short — the public system is not open to temporary residents, so private health insurance is the route. Romania has a large, modern private healthcare sector concentrated in Bucharest and major cities (Cluj, Brasov, Timisoara, Iasi). Big chains such as Regina Maria, MedLife, Sanador, Medicover and Monza run their own clinics and hospitals, offer same-day or next-day appointments and commonly have English-speaking doctors. Prices are low by Western-European standards: a private GP/family-doctor consultation is roughly EUR 20-50 (around 300 lei for a short private visit in Bucharest), specialist visits about EUR 40-80. Many providers sell subscription plans, and local private health insurance typically runs about EUR 300-1,000 per year. Most expats and digital nomads rely on private clinics or international insurance rather than the public system, partly because public care can involve waits, uneven facility quality and informal payments.

What is the emergency number in Romania?

112. Call it for life-threatening emergencies; emergency departments will treat you regardless of insurance, but you may be billed afterwards if you're not covered.

Do I need private health insurance in Romania?

Yes — beyond being prudent, the Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) requires it (required (explicit)). See the qualifying plans for Romania.

Sources