Public, Private and University Hospitals in Türkiye 2026

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Public, Private and University Hospitals in Türkiye: Booking, Treatment and Costs​

1️⃣ 📌 Before choosing a hospital​

The hospital's name alone cannot tell you what treatment will cost. Your bill depends on:
🔹 Active public health insurance, SGK/GSS.
🔹 Private insurance and its hospital network.
🔹 Whether the hospital is public, state university, foundation university or private.
🔹 Specialty, doctor and required investigations.
🔹 Whether you are a resident, tourist or travelling specifically for treatment.
🔹 Surgery, anaesthesia, admission, medicines and medical supplies.

Establish the registration and payment category before planned treatment, rather than waiting for the bill.

2️⃣ 🏥 Public hospitals​

These generally include:
✅ Devlet Hastanesi — state hospital.
✅ Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi — training and research hospital.
✅ Şehir Hastanesi — city hospital.

A city hospital is part of the public health system, even where private companies helped build it or operate non-clinical services.

Typical advantages
🔹 Often suitable for patients covered by SGK.
🔹 A wide range of standard specialties and investigations.
🔹 Availability across provinces and cities.
🔹 Advanced surgical, cancer, heart and neurological centres in larger hospitals.
🔹 Most appointments available through MHRS or 182.

Points to consider
🔸 Some specialties have limited availability.
🔸 Waiting times may be longer than in private hospitals.
🔸 A particular doctor is subject to appointment availability.
🔸 Public hospitals are not automatically free for every foreign patient.

3️⃣ 🎓 University hospitals​

There are two distinct categories.

1️⃣ State university hospitals
Public academic providers often offering:
✅ Professors and consultants in specialist fields.
✅ Services for complex and rare conditions.
✅ Advanced surgery, transplantation and treatments.
✅ Multidisciplinary teams.

Some use their own booking systems, and not all clinics appear in MHRS. A personally delivered faculty-member service outside normal working hours may attract an additional charge within the applicable legal limits.

2️⃣ Foundation university hospitals
“University” in the name does not establish public ownership. Vakıf Üniversitesi — foundation university hospitals follow charging arrangements that in many respects resemble private hospitals, and SGK patients may face additional charges.

Ask:
Code: 
Hastane devlet üniversitesine mi, vakıf üniversitesine mi bağlı?
Is the hospital affiliated with a state university or a foundation university?

4️⃣ 🏨 Private hospitals​

They may offer:
✅ Earlier appointments.
✅ More choice of doctor.
✅ Shorter waits.
✅ Interpreting in some facilities.
✅ A wider choice of rooms and hospitality services.

Costs can be substantially higher, especially for investigations or surgery. An SGK contract does not automatically cover every doctor, branch or procedure. Likewise, accepting an insurer does not mean your particular policy or plan covers the branch, doctor and specialty. Check with both hospital and insurer before the appointment.

5️⃣ 🧭 Which type should you choose?​

Simple conditions and routine follow-up: a family doctor or nearby public hospital may be a starting point.
Complex or highly specialised conditions: a training and research or state university hospital may be appropriate.
A rapid appointment or named doctor: consider private care after obtaining written cost and cover details.
Major surgery: seek a second opinion and compare clinical-team experience, rather than the building or brand alone.
Emergencies: call 112 or seek the nearest emergency department. Do not delay urgent care while researching prices.

Accepting and treating a foreign emergency patient without delay does not establish that every service is free. Billing depends on cover, legal status and clinical classification.

6️⃣ 👤 Can foreign nationals use public hospitals?​

Yes. Foreign patients can receive public, university and private hospital care, but payment arrangements differ.

Active SGK/GSS: registration follows SGK rules, including applicable patient contributions and lawful additional charges.
Private insurance: confirm the network, patient contribution and authorisation requirements. Reimbursement policies may require payment first.
No GSS entitlement: the 2026 tariff places residence-permit holders with the relevant foreign or temporary Turkish identity record who are outside GSS within health-tourism/tourist-health pricing, subject to the tariff's specific categories and exceptions.

A private policy bought for a residence permit does not itself enrol you in SGK.

Code: 
Kaydım hangi kapsamda açılıyor?
SGK, özel sigorta veya ücretli hasta mı?
Under which category will I be registered: SGK, private insurance or self-paying patient?

7️⃣ 📅 Booking a public hospital​

Use the official MHRS website, MHRS app, 182 within Türkiye or e-Devlet access to MHRS. Foreign nationals with a valid recognised Yabancı Kimlik Numarası (YKN) — foreign identity number can use these channels.

1️⃣ Sign in to MHRS.
2️⃣ Select the province and district.
3️⃣ Select hospital and specialty.
4️⃣ Choose an available doctor and time.
5️⃣ Read the message and instructions.
6️⃣ Confirm if requested.

Appointments subject to confirmation must be confirmed by 20:00 the day before. Those booked within the preceding two days are automatically confirmed under the published system. Without a usable YKN, contact the hospital's international patient unit.

ProviderUsual appointment routeFinancial distinction
Public/training/city hospitalMHRS or 182Public does not mean free for every foreign patient
State universityMHRS or university systemAn out-of-hours professor service may cost more
Foundation universityHospital systemUniversity status does not exclude additional charges
PrivateWebsite or call centreVerify the branch and doctor under your own product

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A routine medical examination​

8️⃣ 🎓 Booking a university hospital​

A university may use MHRS, its own website or app, or a telephone centre. Some specialist services require referral or review of reports before booking.

Search the official website for:
Code: 
Randevu
Online Randevu
Uluslararası Hasta Birimi
These mean appointments, online appointments and international patient unit.

9️⃣ 🏨 Booking a private hospital​

Use the official website, app, call centre or international patient unit. Provide your name and insurance policy number and ask about:
🔹 The exact branch's insurance network status.
🔹 Doctor and specialty cover.
🔹 Consultation charge.
🔹 Your contribution.
🔹 Prior authorisation.
🔹 Any interpreting fee.

Check your particular policy rather than relying on “we accept your insurer”.

1️⃣0️⃣ 💰 SGK consultation contributions in 2026​

The SGK consultation schedule lists:
Reviewed on 21 October 2026: the following amounts follow the SUT amendment effective from 1 July 2026.

🔹 Primary care and family-doctor consultations: no consultation contribution.
🔹 Official secondary-level healthcare providers: TRY 50.
🔹 Ministry of Health training/research hospitals and their affiliated district outpatient clinics, and Ministry hospitals classified as tertiary-level: TRY 90.
🔹 State-university hospitals with dentistry faculties and healthcare application/research centres at state universities with medical faculties: TRY 90.
🔹 The corresponding foundation-university medical/dental categories: TRY 100.
🔹 Second- and third-level private providers: TRY 100.

A qualifying referral from a Ministry of Health contracted, assigned or authorised family physician reduces the consultation contribution by 50%. These are consultation contributions, not the full price of treatment, tests or surgery; exemptions and other SUT conditions can apply.

1️⃣1️⃣ ➕ Additional charges in private hospitals​

SGK-contracted private and foundation university providers may charge additional fees within the rules, in some cases up to twice SGK's reference amount. This is not a universal ceiling for every service or every self-paying patient.

The provider must:
✅ Explain additional charges before the relevant service.
✅ Obtain the required written consent.
✅ Not retrospectively demand undisclosed additional fees for services already performed.
✅ Supply the service-and-fee statement where required.

SGK's additional-fee calculator can help identify the applicable maximum for services within its scope. Services SGK does not fund at all may be priced separately and do not necessarily fall within the statutory “additional fee” category.

1️⃣2️⃣ 🚫 Services exempt from SGK additional charges​

Examples within the applicable SGK framework include:
🔹 Genuine emergency care, excluding green-area non-emergency visits.
🔹 Intensive care.
🔹 Burns treatment.
🔹 Specified cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
🔹 Newborn care.
🔹 Organ, tissue and stem-cell transplantation.

The rules contain definitions, conditions and exceptions. Ask SGK to clarify disputed services.

1️⃣3️⃣ 💳 Private health insurance costs​

There is no single patient charge. It depends on:
🔸 The policy network.
🔸 Patient contribution.
🔸 Annual inpatient and outpatient limits.
🔸 Waiting periods.
🔸 Pre-existing conditions.
🔸 Exclusions.
🔸 Prior authorisation.
🔸 Direct billing or reimbursement.

Obtain an authorisation or case reference from the insurer, rather than relying only on reception.

1️⃣4️⃣ 🌍 Costs outside SGK​

There is no short universal price list for all foreign patients. The official health-services list supplies base prices for relevant health-tourism and tourist-health cases, with pricing factors and rules depending on provider and service.

Charges may differ between:
🔹 Public hospitals.
🔹 State and foundation university hospitals.
🔹 Private providers.
🔹 Different patient registration categories.
🔹 A consultation alone and one with investigations.

The public-health-services tariff took effect on 23 February 2026. Its version published on 29 July 2026 incorporates the 28 July amendments. The Health Tourism Department’s 5 October announcement points back to that tariff; the announcement date alone does not establish a new general price increase. Obtain the price applicable to your actual category.

Patient coverWhat determines billing?
Active SGK/GSSEntitlement, co-payments and lawful charges
Private policyNetwork, authorisation, limits and exclusions
Self-paymentRegistration category, tariff and quotation
Medical tourismProvider authorisation and written treatment costs

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Discussing care during a medical consultation​

1️⃣5️⃣ 🧾 What might be on the bill?​

✅ Consultation.
✅ Doctor or faculty-member fee.
✅ Laboratory tests.
✅ Imaging.
✅ Anaesthesia and operating theatre.
✅ Admission, room and companion arrangements.
✅ Medicines used during treatment.
✅ Supplies and devices.
✅ Implants, joints, plates and screws.
✅ Histology and pathology.
✅ Treatment and follow-up sessions.
✅ Interpreting, advice and support services.
✅ Extra days caused by complications or delayed discharge.

The consultation price alone does not establish the total.

1️⃣6️⃣ 📝 Before planned surgery​

Request:
Code: 
Yazılı Fiyat Teklifi
Proforma Fatura
A written quotation or pro forma invoice should set out:
1️⃣ Procedure name and clinical code, where available.
2️⃣ Surgeon and assistant fees.
3️⃣ Anaesthesia.
4️⃣ Operating theatre.
5️⃣ Included admission days.
6️⃣ Room type.
7️⃣ Preoperative laboratory tests and imaging.
8️⃣ Medicines and supplies.
9️⃣ Implant or device type and cost.
🔟 Pathology and postoperative follow-up.
1️⃣1️⃣ Financial arrangements if surgery is cancelled.
1️⃣2️⃣ Excluded services.

Code: 
Bu fiyatın dışında hangi ücretler çıkabilir?
What charges could arise in addition to this price?

1️⃣7️⃣ 🔍 Checking the hospital and cover​

SGK: check the contracted provider and branch through the relevant e-Devlet service.
Private insurance: ask the insurer about the exact branch, specialty and doctor.
Treatment from abroad: check the Ministry list of facilities authorised for international health tourism.

1️⃣8️⃣ 📂 What to bring​

✅ Passport.
✅ Residence card or foreign identity number.
✅ Insurance policy.
✅ SGK entitlement evidence, where applicable.
✅ Prior-authorisation reference.
✅ Previous reports and results.
✅ Images or medical discs.
✅ Medicine and allergy list.
✅ Quotation and correspondence.
✅ A backup payment method.

Allow extra registration time, especially on a first visit.

1️⃣9️⃣ ☎️ Language assistance​

The international patient support centre offers assistance and interpreting in several languages, including Arabic and English:
Code: 
+90 850 288 38 38
It can assist communication and route complaints or requests.

2️⃣0️⃣ ⚖️ A problem with the bill​

1️⃣ Request an itemised written invoice.
2️⃣ Ask for explanations of unclear entries.
3️⃣ Contact hospital billing or the patient rights unit.
4️⃣ Ask the insurer about a rejected claim.
5️⃣ Raise SGK fee disputes with the provincial social-security directorate.
6️⃣ Report provider concerns to the health directorate or ALO 184 SABİM.
7️⃣ Use the patient-rights system for an online request or complaint.

Retain invoices, quotations, authorisations and correspondence as evidence.

2️⃣1️⃣ ⚠️ Common mistakes​

❌ Assuming city hospitals are private.
❌ Assuming every university hospital is public.
❌ Using a private provider without checking the network.
❌ Confusing a consultation contribution with the total bill.
❌ Having planned surgery without insurance approval.
❌ Paying a large sum without a written quotation.
❌ Failing to request an itemised invoice.
❌ Equating residence-permit insurance with SGK.
❌ Using emergency care for a minor condition and assuming green-area charges cannot apply.
❌ Forgetting MHRS confirmation.
❌ Relying on an unauthorised treatment intermediary.

2️⃣2️⃣ ✅ Key points​

Public hospitals often suit SGK patients and general care; state university hospitals provide specialist and complex care; private hospitals may offer earlier appointments and greater choice at higher cost. Establish whether registration is through SGK, private insurance or another charging category. Before planned expensive investigations or surgery, obtain the relevant insurance approval and an itemised written quotation. Necessary emergency care must not be delayed for these arrangements.

pexels-photo-8459996.jpeg

A healthcare waiting area​

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