First aid and emergency medical care are free for foreigners, in other cases you have to pay for the treatment. On the basis of specific agreements, parties to such agreements provide for entitlement to a range of health care services on a mutual basis for their nationals during their stay in these countries.
In the case of foreigners studying in Hungary, entitlement to health care services in Hungary is restricted to those foreign nationals who pursue their studies full-time at an institution of secondary or higher education and whose student status is based on an international agreement or a fellowship granted by the Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities.
Those with jobs are insured in the country where they exercise their occupational activity. If you participate in an international student exchange programme or study at a state-run institute, you are entitled to free medical care. Based on the valid agreement between the host and the home universities, you are allowed to use the facilities of the Hungarian social security system.
EU citizens are insured on the basis of the European Health Insurance Card when they are in another member state and are, from the point of view of social security, entitled to the same rights and have the same obligations as citizens of that given member state.
Non-Hungarian students who fail to meet these requirements may be entitled to health care services only if they sign an Agreement with the Hungarian Health Insurance Fund.
In possession of your residence permit and your attendance certificate, please contact the local Health Insurance Fund. If you study in Hungary independent of any placement, you can take out health insurance with the Health Insurance Fund at a cost of 30% of the local minimum wage.
neak@neak.gov.hu | https://www.neak.gov.hu/
Benefits in kind and cash benefits are provided by the NEAK to the insured persons.
Benefits in kind includes cost-free healthcare services such as preventive examinations, primary healthcare, specialised inpatient care, specialised outpatient care, certain dental care, rehabilitation, the ambulance service, patient transport and accident-related benefits, drug reimbursement, reimbursement for medical aids, medical spa services, reimbursement of travel expenses and benefits granted on grounds of equity.
Cash benefits provided by the NEAK include sickness benefit, prenatal allowance, child care fee and accident-related benefits.
The NEAK has contractual relations with the healthcare providers. Investment and development costs of healthcare institutions are not covered by the Health Insurance Fund budget. The funding of these institutions is provided by their owners.
Contacts:
Institution’s name: NEAK
Address: H – 1139 Budapest, Váci út 73/A.
Office hours:
Monday – Thursday: 08.00-16.30
Friday: 08.00-14.00
Contact:
Telefon: (+36-1) 350-2001
Fax: (+36-1) 298-2403
E-mail: neak@neak.gov.hu
Homepage: http://www.neak.gov.hu
Medications
The Hungarian word for pharmacy is ‘Gyógyszertár’ or ‘Patika’. These are located all over the cities, usually close to the city centres, supermarkets and, in some cases, nearby universities as well. Opening hours may vary from pharmacy to pharmacy but usually they are open till 7 pm or 8 pm on weekdays. Drug stores, like DM and Rossmann, carry a minimum amount of light medicines, for example pain killers.