International Hospitals for Expatriates
Learn how to find quality international hospitals abroad, understand global healthcare systems, and choose the right coverage for expatriates, retirees, and travelers seeking medical care overseas.
Your Full Guide to Finding Hospitals Abroad
Are you working abroad? Planning on traveling to the far corners of the earth? Dream of retiring to a faraway beach bungalow? These are all tempting ideas for many. However, before you become an expatriate and start living abroad, there are some key pieces of information you should know about international hospitals and healthcare outside your home country.
Expats should always learn what medical services their health insurance will cover before going abroad. You should always have your insurance card as proof of insurance, as well as a claim form, in case your health insurance policy provides coverage outside America.
Although many health insurance providers will pay customary and reasonable costs at international hospitals, not many will pay for your medical evacuation back to America. Medical evacuation can quickly run you $10,000 or more, depending on your location and medical condition.
How Hospitals Work for Expatriates Living Abroad
Your current plan may cover some medical treatments in other countries, depending on the type of health insurance you have. Ask your insurance provider what they cover and what they don’t, if you seek medical attention while traveling.
If you plan to stay abroad for an extended period, you’ll need international health insurance.
Planning to work overseas? Thinking about making a permanent move? Either way, having an international insurance plan is the best way to protect yourself.
Healthcare systems vary by country. In some cases, healthcare is socialized (government-managed through public hospitals and public doctors). In other countries, private doctors and private hospitals provide the care. Some countries offer a combination of both.
Countries that have socialized medicine include Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Finland. These governments offer medical services to their citizens and residents, but not to visitors. Emergency services are available for foreign patients, but you will need your own health insurance to cover the costs.
Foreign travelers often seek out international hospitals for non-life-threatening treatments. These include cosmetic surgery, gender reassignment surgery, and infertility treatments. Some of these treatments may be covered under your insurance policy, and some may not.
You’ll need to research your specific health plan to see what it will pay for and what your out-of-pocket costs will be.
How to Find the Right Hospital in Any Country
Different hospitals have physicians and surgeons who specialize in varying areas of medicine. Before checking into a hospital, research to determine if the hospital has healthcare providers in your area of need.
It’s also important to check with your insurance provider to understand the costs associated with those treatments. Private hospitals usually cost more than public hospitals. In some countries, private hospitals may refuse to treat international patients if they can’t afford to pay, whereas public hospitals typically don’t.
Don’t Forget to Purchase Insurance Coverage
Review our helpful guides for information on purchasing international health or travel insurance before heading overseas.
Health Insurance
Travel Insurance
The Best International Hospitals in the World
Wondering which hospitals around the world provide the best care? Statista identified the top 10 hospitals worldwide. Here are Statista’s top 10 picks:
- Toronto General – University Health Network (Canada)
- Amsterdam UMC (Netherlands)
- Fundación Valle Del Lili (Colombia)
- Oslo Universitetssykehus (Norway)
- St Thomas’ Hospital (United Kingdom)
- Universitätsspital Zürich (Switzerland)
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (Australia)
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (Brazil)
- Helsinki University Hospital (Finland)
- The University of Tokyo Hospital (Japan)
International Hospitals and Healthcare
Native citizens and expats alike have greater expectations of international hospitals and healthcare services in the majority of areas of the developed world. In societies with socialized medical systems, this tendency is particularly pronounced. As a result, there is an increasing fascination with international hospital certification.
Providing healthcare, particularly of an acceptable standard, is a complex and challenging process. Worldwide, healthcare services can be supplied by either the public sector, the private sector, or a combination of both. Similarly, healthcare delivery may be found in international hospitals or through general physicians working in clinics.
Aside from using international hospitals and healthcare services to recover from emergency health issues or to avoid becoming ill, to begin with, people may also make use of them to get several other services, for example, cosmetic surgery, gender reassignment surgery, or infertility treatment. For all these reasons and more, International Citizens Insurance provides an inventory of the best-ranked international hospitals in travel destinations and areas with a high concentration of expatriates.
Hospitals Around the World by Country
