Healthcare in Romaia

The healthcare in Romaia is universal and is regulated by the National law on Health Insurance. There are no free state-provided health services, but private health insurance is compulsory for all persons residing in Romaia (within three months of taking up residence or being born in the country).

Health insurance covers the costs of medical treatment and hospitalisation of the insured. However, the insured person pays part of the cost of treatment. This is done (a) by means of an annual deductible (called the franchise), which ranges from LIR 400 to a maximum of LIR 3,000 for an adult as chosen by the insured person (premiums are adjusted accordingly) and by a charge of 10% of the costs over and above the excess up to a stop-loss amount of LIR 1000.

Healthcare system

The entire population must pay compulsory health insurance. The insurers are non-profit agencies that annually participate in negotiations with the state regarding the overall funding of health care in Romaia. The 2006 Social Security Funding Act, set the social security tax at 3% on earned income payed by employer.

Minister of Health and Solidarity is a cabinet position in the government of Romaia. The healthcare portfolio oversees the public services and the health insurance part of Social Security. As ministerial departments are not fixed and depend on the Prime Minister's choice, the Minister sometimes has other portfolios among Work, Pensions, Family, the Elderly, Handicapped people and Women's Rights. In that case, they are assisted by junior Ministers who focus on specific parts of the portfolio.

Compulsory coverage

Romaian employed residents are required to purchase basic health insurance, which covers a range of treatments detailed in the National Law on Health Insurance (Greek: Εθνικός νόμος για την ασφάλιση υγείας). It is therefore the same throughout the country and avoids double standards in healthcare. Insurers are required to offer this basic insurance to everyone, regardless of age or medical condition. They are not allowed to make a profit off this basic insurance but can on supplemental plans.

The insured person pays the insurance premium for the basic plan. If a premium is too high compared to the person's income, the government gives the insured person a cash subsidy to help pay for the premium.

The universal compulsory coverage provides for treatment in case of illness or accident (unless another accident insurance provides the cover) and pregnancy.

Health insurance covers the costs of medical treatment and hospitalization of the insured. However, the insured person pays part of the cost of treatment. This is done by these ways:

• by means of an annual excess (or deductible, called the franchise), which ranges from £200 to a maximum of £3,000 for an adult as chosen by the insured person (premiums are adjusted accordingly);
• by a charge of 10% of the costs over and above the excess. This is known as the retention and is up to a maximum of £700 per year.

In case of pregnancy, there is no charge. For hospitalisation, one pays a contribution to room and service costs.

Insurance premiums vary from insurance company to company, the excess level chosen (franchise), the place of residence of the insured person and the degree of supplementary benefit coverage chosen (complementary medicine, routine dental care, half-private or private ward hospitalisation, etc.).

In 2016, the average monthly compulsory basic health insurance premiums (with accident insurance) in Romaia are the following:

• £217.92 for an adult (age 26+)
• £233.35 for a young adult (age 19–25)

For monthly income less than £1500 employers are obliged to pay for employee's insurance. In cases of unemployment, medical service is being payed by the Government using Social Security Card.

International civil servants, military personnel, members of embassies and their family members are exempted from compulsory health insurance. Requests for exemptions are handled by the respective regional authority and have to be addressed to them directly.

Private coverage

The compulsory insurance can be supplemented by private "complementary" insurance policies that allow for coverage of some of the treatment categories not covered by the basic insurance or to improve the standard of room and service in case of hospitalisation. This can include complementary medicine, routine dental treatments, half-private or private ward hospitalisation, and others, which are not covered by the compulsory insurance.

Premiums

As far as the compulsory health insurance is concerned, the insurance companies cannot set any conditions relating to age, sex or state of health for coverage. Although the level of premium can vary from one company to another, they must be identical within the same company for all insured persons of the same age group and region, regardless of sex or state of health. This does not apply to complementary insurance, where premiums are risk-based.