If You Have a Health Problem While on Vacation: How Much Do Medical Services Cost at the Seaside?

A summer holiday by the sea can prove expensive not only because of accommodation and restaurant bills, but also when medical assistance is needed.

When a health problem interrupts a holiday, tourists often have to decide quickly where to seek treatment. This can be difficult in Sunny Beach, where most medical practices operate without contracts with the National Health Insurance Fund. So how much can medical care in the resort cost?

In Bulgaria’s largest seaside resort, Sunny Beach, there are ten medical centres, but none of them work with the National Health Insurance Fund.

Jenny, a tourist from the United Kingdom:
"I’m actually on my way to the dentist because I have a dental problem. The procedure will cost me €500 because it’s a private practice."

BNT team attempted to obtain information on medical fees in Sunny Beach. At three medical centres, we were refused information.

"The manager isn’t here. You’ll have to come back after 4pm."

At one reception desk, however, we found a price list. An initial consultation costs €65, while an appointment with a specialist costs €95. If treatment is required at night, the fee rises to €125.

Irina, a tourist:
"I was walking down the street and fell. Having my arm put in a cast here cost €95."

Irina did not pay for the treatment herself because she had health insurance, as do most foreign visitors staying in Sunny Beach. Although private medical centres do not work with the National Health Insurance Fund, they do accept private insurance policies.

Lyudmila, a tourist:
"My husband and I each pay €50 a month for health insurance. He became seriously ill with pneumonia, and the insurance covered everything — the treatment, the tests, repeated examinations, scans, X-rays and intravenous therapy."

The availability of insured foreign patients has attracted many general practitioners from inland parts of the country to work seasonally on the Black Sea coast.

Dr Plamen Panayotov, Deputy Chair of the Association of General Practitioners in Burgas:
"This is particularly typical of resorts such as Sunny Beach and Golden Sands. Foreign tourists dominate there, and these practices operate more often as private medical services rather than family practices. Virtually all foreign tourists have health insurance, making it easier to receive payment for medical services at rates that differ from those offered by the National Health Insurance Fund."

However, information about medical fees appears to be closely guarded. We contacted a randomly selected medical centre in Sunny Beach by telephone, posing as landlords of foreign visitors who required a consultation and wanted to know the prices.

"No, you can’t see them on the website because we work with different companies under different pricing arrangements. The prices vary, so we can’t publish them. Besides, competitors would immediately see our rates. If the patient wishes, we can send a vehicle to collect them."

For Bulgarian tourists, the cheapest — and in some cases free — medical care may be available at the state hospital in Burgas.

Dr Nigohos Topuzyan, Director of St Nicholas the Wonderworker Medical Centre:
"During the summer tourist season, many visitors seek treatment and our workload increases significantly. At the medical centre of the University Hospital in Burgas, we operate an emergency duty clinic for urgent cases. Emergency medical care is fully free of charge and takes priority in emergency departments. In other cases, general practitioners may examine patients who are not from the region."

If a tourist is covered by Bulgarian health insurance, they can visit any GP contracted with the National Health Insurance Fund by presenting only an identity card. However, this creates additional pressure on local doctors, who must continue caring for their registered patients throughout the summer.

Dr Plamen Panayotov:
"You know that a town with a population of 5,000 can suddenly become a town of 55,000 during the summer. It is impossible to examine everyone. That is why we can only focus on urgent and emergency cases. Sometimes patients also insist on numerous additional tests. It should be stressed that such tests are ordered at the doctor’s discretion, not the patient’s."

As a result, a health-insured patient visiting a doctor in Burgas pays only a patient fee of €1.48, whereas in Sunny Beach the cost of a consultation is €65, regardless of whether the patient has Bulgarian health insurance or not.