❗️ If you are fleeing from Ukraine ⬇️
If you have temporary protection in Hungary, or if you are an applicant for temporary protection, you are entitled to the services mentioned below, based on the EU and national legislation. Please note that the regulation does not include any restrictions on timing, and that the services mentioned below are free of charge.
Are you in an emergency?
If you are in urgent need of medical care or in an emergency situation, please contact the toll-free emergency numbers in Hungary.
▸ General number for emergency services: 112
▸ Ambulance: 104
▸ Police: 107
▸ Firefighters: 105
Which medical and health care services am I entitled to in Hungary if I have Temporary Protection?
You may want to know which medical and health care services you can access in Hungary if you have Temporary Protection. Please find below a list of entitlements.
Reference to different types of health services that are available for Temporary Protection applicants, Temporary Protection holders, and asylum seekers:
▸ general practitioner care
▸ examination, medical treatment, as well as medicine and bandages used in the course of the care, as part of outpatient special care used in case of urgent need
▸ inpatient hospital care used in case of urgent need, as well as medical treatment as prescribed by the doctor – including surgical interventions, as well as the medical materials and prosthetic devices used during it – medical care, medicine, bandages and meals required for the medical treatment
after outpatient specialist care or inpatient hospital treatment, until recovery from the disease or stabilization of the condition
▸ other medical aids ordered by a doctor, as well as for their repair
▸ emergency dental care and tooth-retaining treatment, provided patient treatment belonging to the lowest reimbursement category
▸ pregnancy care and maternity care, or for intervention aimed at terminating the pregnancy under the conditions specified in the Act on the Protection of Fetal Life
▸ mandatory age-related vaccinations
▸ oncology specialist care, other examinations, and medical treatment within the framework of other chronic patient care, as well as condition improvement, condition maintenance or pharmaceuticals that can be used for pain relief.
Law: Council Directive 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001
Which medical and health care services am I entitled to in Hungary if I am a Ukrainian citizen without Temporary Protection and Social Security Number?
Ukrainian citizens without TAJ (social security number) and without TP are also entitled to health care services:
▸ In case of acute illness and urgent need for medical treatment (medical and specialist required treatment, medication supply, hospital and rehabili-tation care, medical aids, their urgent replacement or repair) to the abso-lutely necessary extent can request it from the Hungarian state health ser-vice or from the social security body on the basis of a travel document (passport, etc.)
▸ Entitled to these benefits free of charge/subsidized in the same way as a domestic insured person.
▸ A Ukrainian citizen entitled to the free care is also entitled to the medicine necessary for this care, i.e. to a prescription of medicine. In such a case, the medicine must be ordered (prescribed) with the same subsidy as in the case of a Hungarian insured (according to the agreement). In other cases (services that cannot use for free), medicine can be prescribed at full price without subsidy.
▸ Free care can be used in all publicly funded, i.e., state, local government and church institutions (surgery, specialist surgery, hospital, clinic, institute.
▸ Oncology specialist care, other examination, and medical treatment within the framework of other chronic patient care, as well as condition improve-ment, condition maintenance or pharmaceuticals that can be used for pain relief.
Law: 7/1964. (VIII. 30.) MüM (Ministry of Labor) decree
I am a Hungarian citizen, I lived in Ukraine, and I moved to Hungary after the 24th February 2022, which medical and health care services am I entitled to in Hungary?
If you are a Hungarian citizen from Ukraine (arriving in Hungary after 24-02-2022) you are entitled for the same treatment as Temporary Protection holders.
I am a third-country national who has been living in Ukraine before 24 February 2022. Am I entitled to free healthcare services?
Yes. Third-country nationals who have been residing legally in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 will be treated equally to temporary protection status holders.
Where and how do I find a medical doctor in Hungary?
In case you are not in an emergency but want to access medical care, PLEASE, follow the steps BELOW.
A person fleeing Ukraine can use health services included in the scope of primary health care, including primary on-call care, within the framework of the care provided by the local government of the place of residence.
The first step into the Hungarian health care system is to make an appointment with the general practitioner (GP) assigned to the location where you live. For any further specific treatment other than emergency services, you will need a prescription/ referral from a general practitioner who can also advise you, on where to access the right service.
How to find a General Practitioner according to THE place of residence?
You can search for the right general Practitioner based on your address in the below link/ tool, you can filter based on your county/ district (if in Budapest) and you will see the available GP in your area. Once you have found the right medical doctor /GP, you can find contact details and address in the file. In some apartment buildings, there is a bulletin board near the entrance, where you can find the area GP’s name, address, and visiting hours.
For more reference, you can consult the following website, however, it is only available in Hungarian: http://neak.gov.hu/felso_menu/lakossagnak/szerzodott_szolgaltatok. on the website, you can find downloadable Excel sheets. You can filter the file by searching for your postcode (below are direct link to the downloadable sheets):
- Click here for general practitioners (Háziorvos szolgálatok)
- Click here for inpatient institutions (Fekvőbeteg szakellátó intézmények)
- Click here for outpatient institutions (Járóbeteg szakellátó intézmények)
What injuries/situations are considered as an emergency?
Life-threatening conditions and diseases that fall within the scope of urgent need may include, among others, the following:
- Bleeding (external or internal) that is life-threatening or involves the risk of permanent health damage.
- Conditions with temporary circulatory and/or respiratory arrest (e.g., embolism, , syncope, suffocation, life-threatening heart rhythm disorders,).
- Life-threatening endocrine and metabolic conditions;
- Diseases associated with the risk of central nervous system compression (e.g., brain edema, headache, dizziness, tumor, inflammation, developmental disorder, trauma)
- Unconscious states.
- Epilepsy and other symptomatic seizures.
- Sudden vision disturbances, loss of vision, “red eye”, eye injuries;
- Sepsis (infection of the blood stream).
- Vascular catastrophes with a high mortality or risk of serious complications.
- Obstetric conditions / complications (childbirth, premature birth, placental abruption, severe pregnancy toxemia, newborn care after pregnancy toxemia, acute gynecological bleeding,)
- Pre-shock and shock states, life-threatening allergic and anaphylactic states;
- Acute respiratory failure, airway narrowing)
- Poisonings
- Acute abdominal conditions (e.g., . intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, perforation, ectopic pregnancy, ovarian cyst rupture, etc.))
- Severe burns)
- Primary wound care
- Acute trauma (e.g., fractures, injures)
- Open fractures and decollement injuries
- Electric shock, electro trauma
- Heat and cold damage
- Severe acute radiation damage and radiation sickness
- Suicide attempts and intentions, a state of immediate danger related to a mental state
- Acute psychological disturbances, psychoses
- Infectious conditions which by themselves or through their complications cause a life-threatening condition
How can I talk to the doctor if I don’t speak any languages but Ukrainian/Russian?
In case a language barrier arises during health care treatment, an interpreter is available on the telephone number 1812. Interpreters are available from 8:00 AM to 18:00 PM on Monday to Friday. Please note, they are supporting only in translation and cannot /do not provide health care advice.
How can I talk to a Ukrainian/Russian speaking doctor? Is there a Ukrainian Healthline? How to find a specialized doctor?
NN Insurer Company started a helpline in cooperation with Teladoc Hungary Tanácsadó és Szolgáltató Kft. Calls are answered by a Ukrainian-speaking operator who provides information on how those in need can access healthcare in Hungary.
Through the phone, patients can give their names, phone numbers and questions/symptoms to the operator who will forward the information to the relevant specialized doctor who speaks Ukrainian/Russian. The doctor will call back the patient.
What questions can you get information about?
- About the health services available in Hungary, the conditions for their use,
- On issues related to illness, medical treatment, and health preservation,
- About the applicability, side effects and substitutability of medicines,
- About medical, pediatric, and dental emergencies,
- About on-call pharmacies,
- About the availability of healthcare facilities.
Available hours are from 8.00 AM to 20.00 PM Monday to Sunday
+36 80 44 20 20
+36 1 998 0558
https://www.nn.hu/ua-healthline
Is dental care provided for free?
Emergency dental care is also covered, and the below treatments are considered as emergency and being covered for people fleeing Ukraine (TPS applicants, TP status holders, TCNs and Ukrainian-Hungarian dual citizens).
Interventions within the scope of dental emergency care:
- Primary treatment of recent accidental injuries to teeth (replantation, splinting, medicated bonding, extraction).
- Acute odontogenic inflammations (trepanation, extraction).
- Opening of odontogenic abscess.
- Removal of a foreign body obstructing swallowing and/or breathing.
- Medicinal treatment of acute inflammatory diseases of the oral mucosa and lips.
- Reposition of acute mandibular luxation.
- Resting a freshly broken jawbone.
- Alleviation of a trigeminal neuralgic attack with local anesthesia.
- Alleviation of bleeding in the oral cavity or around the oral cavity of any origin (tampon, covering bandage, local application of drugs that increase blood coagulation, suturing).
Where to find supporting information on diabetes?
Diabhelp was created as part of the Diabryň Foundation to help people with type 1 diabetes from Ukraine to get insulin and care in Hungary. Another goal of the website is to use the work of doctors in writing prescriptions, and for pharmacies to dispense the prescribed insulin and diabetes devices.
The website is available in Hungarian and Ukrainian language. https://diabhelp.hu/
Are medical treatments covered and free of charge for oncology and other chronic illnesses?
Temporary protection status holders and TPS applicants are entitled to oncology specialist care, other examination and medical treatment within the framework of other chronic patient care, as well as condition improvement, condition maintenance or pharmaceuticals that can be used for pain relief.
As a pregnant woman, do I have access to free medical care?
Yes, if you are an applicant for Temporary Protection or a beneficiary of Temporary Protection, or you are a Hungarian national previously residing in Ukraine, you have access to a wide range of free healthcare services, including obstetrician/gynecologists’ care.
The designated health provider is assigned based on your place of residence/ address, and offers the following services:
- screening of pregnant women for infectious diseases,
- care for pregnant women with an acute illness,
- ensuring healthcare services for chronically ill pregnant women,
- Providing consultations/plans for pregnant women in need of special care,
- basic provision of pregnant care,
- offering a referral to the obstetrics department,
- counselling in case of other critical health issues.
To access the support of the visiting nurse “védőnő” pregnancy health visitor service, look for the county health visitor mentor based on your address or look for a specialists at this link.
Please make sure to find an obstetrician/gynaecologist in the early months of your pregnancy, to ensure that you have proper care during this period and that all relevant medical checks can be carried out. Based on your preferences and your budget, you can choose to give birth in a public or a private hospital. Please consult your obstetrician/ gynaecologist about your possibilities. You can find more information on childbirth on the website of Emma Association.
What support is provided regarding childbirth?
Pregnant women fleeing Ukraine are entitled free of charge childbirth services with the same amount of support as the Hungarians. Free care is available in all publicly funded institutions, i.e., in state, municipal and church medical institutions. The choice of institution normally is made based on your address.
List of public obstetrics available in Hungary:
- Budapest
- Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Hospital and Clinic 1106 Budapest, Maglódi út 89-91.
- Jahn Ferenc South-Pest Hospital and Clinic 1204 Budapest, Köves út 1.
- Péterfy Hospital-Clinic 1076 Budapest, Péterfy Sándor utca 8-20.
- South Buda Central Hospital Szent Imre University Teaching Hospital 1115 Budapest, Tétényi út 12-16.
- North-Central Buda Center New St. John’s Hospital and Clinic 1125 Budapest, Diós Trench 1-3.
- St. Margaret’s Hospital 1032 Budapest, Bécsi út 132.
- Uzsoki Street Hospital 1145 Budapest, Uzsoki u. 29-41
Breast milk and formula supply
In the framework of the health insurance, the infant/ baby might be entitled for support in breast milk/ formula, if the mother is unable to feed with her own milk and the baby is premature or a low birth weight (under 2,500 g body weight).
Mature newborns and infants may also be entitled to subsidized breast milk if they suffer from severe food allergies, malabsorption disorders, or developmental disorders associated with abdominal surgery and the mother is unable to feed them with her own milk.
The baby whose mother suffers from one of the below conditions, might also entitled to subsidized breast milk
- physically unfit to breastfeed,
- suffers from an infectious disease or poisoning that endangers the baby’s health,
- you are taking medication that is contraindicated during breastfeeding,
- is in a state of severe, frequent loss of consciousness,
- her psychological condition makes breastfeeding impossible,
- died during the breastfeeding period, or
- abandoned the child.
In the above cases, regardless of the baby ‘s weight, the infant is entitled to free breast milk during inpatient hospital care and outpatient care based on the order of the pediatrician or family (pediatric) doctor.
How can I use the social insurance support for breast milk?
Breast milk can be obtained through the social insurance support if it is ordered by an authorized doctor. On the prescription, the legal title of the order must be indicated as “Eü priority”. With one prescription, breastmilk supply for the a month (which during the prescription was issued) can be ordered.
To order breast milk, please consult with the family doctor (GP) or your child’s pediatrician who is part of the health insurance system who is entitled to order such requests.
For legal questions related to the childbirth please visit the FAQ page.
Do you still have questions on entitlements or other issues?
Please contact our UNHCR Refugee Hotline for free: +36 80 984 583, open from Monday – Friday, 08.00 – 17.00.
If you have refugee or subsidiary protection status in Hungary (not temporary protection)
In the first 6 months after receiving the refugee or subsidiary protection status
You are entitled to free health services for six months after you receive your final status. Free health services include medical screenings and examinations, medical treatment provided under general medicine and specialized care in cases of emergency. The social workers of the asylum facility where you are staying usually arrange a health card (TAJ kártya in Hungarian) for you, but the card might not be ready by the time you have to leave the camp. You will receive an A4 sized document called “Hatósági Bizonyítvány” (in Hungarian). With this paper you will be able to get the card itself when you move to Budapest or other cities. In case the social workers of the facility do not arrange for the health card, you need to do it for yourself at the local government’s office (where your permanent address is registered). You can find a list of local government offices at this site in Hungarian. Please note that you need to make an appointment at these offices.
In case you need assistance, you can contact Menedék Association at their site in English.
After the first 6 months are over
After the initial 6-months period is over, you can receive insurance (covering all medical costs) through employment, or by paying for yourself monthly, or in case you cannot pay it, based on ‘being socially in need’. This will be available to you if your monthly income does not go above a certain amount, as follows:
- for families: the monthly income per person is not exceeding 34,200 HUF (around 94 EUR)
- for single persons: the monthly income is not exceeding 42,750 HUF (around 118 EUR)
- and you and your family do not have any possessions.
Social workers of Menedék Association can assist you in requesting this. You may contact them at their site in English.
If you have an employment contract, your employer must pay the required contribution for social insurance. Employers have the obligation to request a Social Security Number for refugees. You should make sure that your employer registers you with the tax authorities, but you have no other task regarding this.
If you are not socially in need, and you are not employed legally, you will be required to pay a monthly health contribution of 8000 HUF (around 22 EUR). To do so, you will need to have a continuously registered permanent address for at least one year.
Health insurance system
General Practitioners / Doctors
Each district / town / village has its own general practitioner (doctor). Please consult this site to find your local doctor (in Hungarian).
Specialist care
If you have a referral from a general practitioner, please talk to him/her directly about recommendations regarding which specialist to see, and you can also find information about the available specialist care in Hungarian on this site.
For English information about national health care service in Hungary, please check this site.
Hospital care
There is an overview of the hospitals in Budapest according to their district and location in Hungarian on this site.
In-patient care
For more info about in-patient care in Hungarian, please access this site (in Hungarian).
