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Cyprus Expat Health Insurance

Located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus is an island with a population of about one million people; the nation is situated off the south coast of Turkey, and the west coast of Syria. Known officially as an independent republic, this is where the history of Cyprus becomes very complicated, and hotly debated. The southern two-thirds of the island, primarily Greek descent Cypriots, is under the administration of the formal government, whereas the northern third is controlled by Turkish Cypriots. This is a result of ethnic clashes amongst the two groups which culminated in a UN patrolled peace-keeping border separating the two areas, which has been in effect since 1974. Without this piece of background information it would be impossible for the casual reader to understand the unusual circumstances that surround travel to Cyprus, and life within its two separate entities. With both groups’ viewpoints divided down strong political, ethnic, and religious lines, all efforts for the two groups to come to agreeable terms of formal reunification have failed, even with the help of outside nations, resulting in two parallel cultures. However for the sake of simplicity, and as this is not a forum for discussion on Cypriot politics, in this article Cyprus will refer to the island as a whole unless otherwise noted.

The border between the Turkish and Greek parts of Cyprus remains patrolled today. However, since 2003, tourists and Cypriots from both sides are able to travel across it with relative ease by using the five green-zone checkpoints. The Republic of Cyprus has been a member of the European Union since 2004, though the Turkish Cyprus is not legally recognized as a sovereign state, and is currently barred from governmental interaction with other EU countries. Because of its scenic beauty and long coastline along with impressive ancient ruins and fair weather, the Cypriot economy is now based firmly on tourism, and Cyprus touts itself as lying at the crossroads of three continents; Asia, Africa, and Europe. Currently tourists will find travel throughout Cyprus very easy, according to the World Economic Forum. Cyprus has the most developed tourism infrastructure in the world, and in 2010 nearly 2.2 million tourists visited to enjoy the Mediterranean lifestyle the island offers. Additionally, numerous retirees have made Cyprus their new home, at least for parts of the year.

Cyprus Healthcare System

Given its high volume of tourists and desire to continue such attraction, Cyprus has put forth great efforts in making health care available to the public. There are 15 hospitals in Cyprus, eight public facilities and seven private. The current health care system in Cyprus, based on household income, provides free health care to about 85 percent of Cypriots, and the wealthier 15 percent getting substantial assistance when seeking care at public facilities. The health care system is offered to all Cypriots, both north and south, and is funded by the Republican government. The system is, however, currently under scrutiny, and may change considerably in the future depending on decisions made by the government with regard to budgeting and finance restructuring schemes being considered for future deployment. Currently, all persons possessing a European Health Insurance Card are able to use their home country’s health care coverage in Cyprus and are eligible, when returning home, for reimbursement for most treatment from public health care providers. Any care received at private facilities will be at the expense of the person accepting such treatment. All non-EU tourists are advised to consider traveler's insurance when visiting Cyprus as its health care can be very expensive when paid out of pocket, depending on treatment required.

Both public and private hospitals are very modern and considered to be at, or above, standard for developed countries. As such, and considering that many people qualify for coverage through the government health care system, public facilities at times can be very crowded and the wait time to receive treatment may be quite long. Cyprus' private hospitals are equally capable and because the care is self funded, while pricing is regulated by the government to avoid gouging, the service can usually be provided more quickly and tailored specifically to the needs of the patient at his will. For this reason many travelers and expatriates, especially non-EU citizens, choose private hospitals for their care. With its close proximity to many middle-eastern and north African countries and ease of travel, Cyprus is the destination of choice for many in need of care not readily available in their current country of residence. Additionally, Cyprus is an excellent choice for the traveler looking to take advantage of very modern health or dental care at greatly reduced rates, and many of the services can be covered by an international or worldwide health care insurance policy. Prior to departure, it is always wise to confirm that the treatment being sought will be covered by the policy before making a trip with the intent of receiving foreign based health care, thus avoiding any unexpected costs or denied payment.

Available services in Cyprus' hospitals and clinics include an array of diagnostic procedures, pediatric care, fertilization and women's health treatments, advanced surgical techniques, internal medicine, emergency and trauma care, as well as cancer treatment, and advanced methods of early detection for a large number of ailments, as well as all forms of dental care. The government has put special emphasis on early detection of disease and invested heavily in preventative education and awareness programs to lessen the risk of common communicable diseases. As a result, Cyprus has a low occurrence of many diseases common to areas surrounding them such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS and travelers are not required to receive any special vaccinations commonly recommended for many less developed regions. Additionally, great investment has been made to ensure clean drinking water is available to the public in southern Cyprus, as well as adequate sanitary sewer disposal throughout to protect the health of the general population. When traveling or staying in the northern areas however, some sources recommend only drinking bottled water as microbial parasites and bacteria have been found in some test samples.

Health risks to the tourist usually involve over exposure to the sun and heatstroke. As prevention, it is necessary to stay well hydrated and avoid overuse of alcoholic beverages and regularly apply sunscreen. Traveler's diarrhea is also common as a result of change in diet. Some visitors may have severe reactions to bites from sand flies common in the summer months and while rare, snake bites do occur especially when hiking in the mountains. All of these problems can easily be handled by clinics and hospitals domestically in all parts of Cyprus and should not present a major concern for travelers.

Cyprus Expat Health Insurance

When traveling overseas for holiday, the last thing you want or expect is an unplanned trip to hospital due to sudden illness or accident in Cyprus. Expat health insurance can provide you cover for when these things do happen, keeping you well prepared for unforeseen circumstances. Whether you are retired abroad, an expat professional, or weekend traveler, there is a package that can be tailored to your specific need, anywhere in the world including Cyprus. Expat health insurance plans that Global Health Insurance works with have a range of coverage options to fit any need, regardless of location, destination(s), extent of stay, budget constraints, or number of persons requiring coverage. Our team of International Health Insurance Professionals will guide you free of charge through the many decisions that need to be made to help you find the perfect coverage for you, your family, or traveling group. Contact Global Health Insurance to discuss the international health insurance options available.