Health care in Bulgaria varies on where you are, but in major cities like Sofia hospitals and qualified staff are plentiful. Bulgarian healthcare is universal, and state funded through the National Health Insurance Fund. The average of doctors per people is 1.8 to 1,000 people. Bulgaria spends about 4.2% of its GDP on healthcare.
General Practitioners in Bulgaria
General practitioners (GPs), are better known as family doctors and are the primary healthcare providers in Bulgaria. Every Bulgarian resident can choose a doctor of their doctor based on preference. Doctors are highly trained and speak English.
As the family doctor is covered by the state, a visit to the doctor may cost the patient just a small fee. Doctor visits should be scheduled in advance unless the doctor has drop-in hours.
Specialists in Bulgaria
The family doctor can refer the patient to see a specialist by issuing a letter of referral. There are some specialists that can be visited without a letter of referral, most notably, gynecologists, ophthalmologists, and children's surgeons. The State will also cover most of the cost of specialist treatments.
Cosmetic surgery and comes with a cost, but is still incredibly low. Breast enhancement starts at 2,500 Euro and a face lift can start at 1,200 Euro.
Dentists in Bulgaria
Dentists offer very inexpensive care in Bulgaria, especially for expats. Treatments can start as low as 10 Euro for a visit. Many people travel to Bulgaria just for dental treatment since it is so cheap compared to other countries in the world.
Update 6/06/2018
Expatriate health insurance in Bulgaria
With so much to deal with before leaving your home country, (taxes, moving house, paperwork etc.) the careful planning of your expatriation to Sofia is an essential step. As far as healthcare is concerned, your local social security scheme won’t be accompanying you to your host country and, once abroad, you might be surprised by the care system you find in Bulgaria So, before leaving, make sure you have appropriate cover!
Cigna is one of the world's biggest international insurers with more than 30 years' experience in providing global health insurance across 200 countries and territories. They have access to more than 1.65 million hospitals, physicians, clinics and specialists worldwide.
Cigna Global's flexible plans are specifically designed for expats and globally mobile individuals who move to Bulgaria. All their plans can be tailored to your individual requirements in Bulgaria, always finding the right healthcare solution, whatever the situation and budget.
Getting a health insurance quote
Create your perfect plan with Cigna and combine the reassurance of comprehensive inpatient cover with the flexibility of optional extra benefits.
Click on the button to access the online tool and get a quote in 2 minutes.