Moldova Expat Health Insurance
The Republic of Moldova, commonly referred to as Moldova, is located in Eastern Europe and is land locked by Romania and Ukraine. It was incorporated into the Soviet Union after World War II and has been an independent nation since 1991 when the Soviet Union was dissolved. The country has an estimated population of 4.3 million people.
Moldova is broken up into 32 districts, 3 municipalities and 2 autonomous regions, one of which is Transnistria which is not controlled by the central Government of Moldova. The capital and largest city in Moldova is Chisinau, its population is estimated to be approximately 650,000. A large part of Moldova lies between the Dniestar and Prut rivers. The terrain of the country is hilly and it experiences warm summers and mild winters, making it a productive agricultural region.
In 2009 Moldova was the poorest country in Europe in terms of GDP. As the country has no major minerals of its own it imports most of its supplies from nearby Russia including energy supplies. This has caused problems in Moldova’s history, particularly in 2009 when gas supplies were cut to the country due to a dispute between Russia and Ukraine. The country’s tenuous economic position was illustrated again when Russia doubled the price Moldova had to pay it for natural gas, as well as banning the importation of wine and agricultural products from Moldova. These barriers as well as the global financial crisis hurt the country’s growth and lead to high unemployment. The International Monetary Fund allocated funds in January 2010 to Moldova to assist it in developing its economy.
The country has a well developed wine industry which employed the majority of the population for many years. Most of the wine is made for export. Moldova also produces vegetables, sugar, fruits, grains, shoes, textiles and appliances. Travellers to Moldova can partake in wine tours, see the country’s natural landscape and take in its history. The people of Moldova are very friendly and welcoming of tourists who will enjoy seeing the amazing monasteries cut into limestone cliffs and tasting the huge watermelons.
The 1991 Declaration of Independence states that the country’s official language is Romanian. However the 1994 Constitution states that the official language is Moldovan. The two languages are virtually the same. The food in Moldova is diverse as it has been influenced by neighbouring Romania, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine. Popular dishes include beef, potatoes, pork and stuffed cabbage rolls.
Moldova Health Care and Insurance
The Ministry of Health and the nation’s Health Minister are responsible for healthcare in Moldova. The country has a low standard of state funded healthcare available to citizens and long term residents of Moldova. The free healthcare offered is limited to emergency treatment and treatment for acute illnesses.
Spending on healthcare in Moldova has decreased since the Soviet Union broke up; as a result the rate of tuberculosis in the country has grown. Public expenditure on health accounted for 4.2 percent of GDP in 2009. Moldova now has one of the highest rates of drug resistant tuberculosis in the world.
In 2004 the Government in Moldova introduced mandatory health insurance (MHI). The goals of MHI are to fund health care and improve access to healthcare services for the poor. Self employed Moldavians must purchase their own healthcare cover. The Government pays contributions for the unemployed including retired citizens and long term residents. These contributions are funded through taxation.
A survey was undertaken in 2008 which showed that only 78 percent of those surveyed had Moldovan Health Insurance under the mandatory scheme. Citizens who are self employed in the agricultural sector in Moldova were 27 times more likely to be uninsured then those who are employed. Those surveyed cited the cost of Moldova’s mandatory Health Insurance as being the main reason for not purchasing healthcare cover.
One third of healthcare financing in Moldova comes from out of pocket expenses paid for by patients for prescription medications (except children under the age of 5 who receive free prescription medications), and non essential medical treatments including; dental care, cosmetic surgery, and some laboratory tests.
Medical facilities in Moldova are substandard with hospitals not having advanced medical technology and pharmacies not always being well stocked. There have also been incidences of counterfeit medications. Medical facilities are even more limited in certain rural areas of the country.
There are a large number of medical facilities in the capital city, Chisinau, however the standard of the facilities is below that found in other parts of Europe. Moldova also has private medical facilities which are extremely expensive and therefore only used by the wealthy. There are no private hospitals, only private GP practices in Moldova.
The rural areas of Moldova have varying levels of medical facilities beginning with a network of 1011 health posts which are staffed by a medical practitioner, midwife and an assistant. These health posts provide general medical care and immunisations to patients. The rural areas also have 189 health centres which are each staffed by 3 Doctors and have inpatient facilities. Lastly towns in Moldova with populations of over 3,000 people have polyclinics which provide a wider range of services including paediatrics, dentistry, gynaecology and in some instances outpatient surgical treatment. These facilities have two nurses per Doctors, midwives and medical assistants.
Moldova is home to 100 hospitals across the country, 5 outpatient clinics and a psychiatric hospital in Chisinau. The waiting lists at the hospitals are long and the equipment that they use is poor. Some hospitals cannot even afford to have running water between the hours of 8pm and 6am. The more rural hospitals offer limited services and a 24 hour emergency service. The rural hospitals refer more complicated cases to the central hospitals. Surgery in the central hospitals is becoming more limited due to financial limits and is usually only performed in emergency situations. Travellers are advised to ensure that they have travel insurance for Moldova which covers emergency evacuation in case they need to be transported to a country with better facilities. Medical evacuation is expensive.
Travellers requiring medical treatment while visiting Moldova could visit the University of Moldova hospitals which are located in the capital city, the most well known hospitals include Trinity, St Michael and Urgenta. These hospitals provide a moderate level of health care however the buildings require maintenance and the equipment is limited.
Travellers to Moldova will need to pay themselves for any medical treatment or prescription medications that they require. Medical facilities will also often expect immediate cash payment from travellers. Travellers and expatriates in the country should take out some form of international medical insurance for Moldova to ensure that any unforeseen medical treatment will be covered.
Moldova Travel Advice
Moldova is a safe country to visit as street crime is low and officials are helpful. Travellers should ensure that they do not flash their wealth around, as pick pocketing does occur, and must have their passports on them at all times as random checks are performed regularly by the local authorities. Travellers should confirm the price of food and wine in restaurants before ordering as pricing scams have been occurring in the capital city of Chisinau. These often occur in basement restaurants with live music and wood fire ovens which are very tourist friendly.
Travellers are advised to ensure that their childhood vaccinations are up to date (including measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT), polio etc). Visitors should also receive vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B and rabies (if intending on spending time outdoors and in rural areas). Tick-borne encephalitis is also common so travellers should take precautions to ensure that they are not bitten by ticks particularly from spring to autumn.
Travellers requiring medical assistance in Moldova should dial 903 for medical emergencies. Visitors should ensure that they bring sufficient medications with them to Moldova as refills may not be available and medications will not likely be labelled in English.
Visitors intending on residing in Moldova for longer than three months may need to prove that they are HIV negative in order to be allowed entry into the country.
Moldova Expat Health Insurance
Travellers to Moldova will not be entitled to receive free medical care and are advised to take out Moldova expat health insurance. The medical facilities are limited and not of the same standard as other facilities in Europe. If medical treatment is required while travelling in Moldova it will likely be expensive. You may also be required to be evacuated to a nearby country if the procedure you require is complicated as the medical facilities are relatively poorly equipped in Moldova. Expat health insurance can ensure that you have cover for emergency medical transportation and evacuation as well as receiving the best medical treatment possible while travelling. please contact Global Health Insurance for a free quotation. Our team of international health insurance professionals can provide you with free quotations that will cover the cost of medical care for you and your family in Moldova and anywhere else you choose to travel to.
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