Is Healthcare Better Than in the UK?
My Retirement in Bosnia
Over the years I’ve been asked many times what healthcare is like here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially as I’m now in my seventies and, like most of us as we get older, healthcare becomes a little more important in everyday life.
So in this video I wanted to sit down and talk honestly about my own experiences, not as an expert, not as an advisor, but simply as someone who lives here, pays into the healthcare system here, and has used hospitals, doctors, ambulances and specialists here in real life.
I talk about how I went from temporary residence to permanent residence, how I was able to join the state healthcare system in Republika Srpska, what I pay each month, and what I get in return. I also share the story of breaking my ankle here in the village, the ambulance arriving within minutes, surgery, rehabilitation, and what the whole experience was actually like.
I also compare some of this with experiences in the UK, because many people who watch this channel or listen to the podcast are from Britain and often ask how the systems compare.
Healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not completely free, it’s an insurance-based system, but if you are a resident and you contribute to the health fund, you can access public healthcare, and many people also combine that with very affordable private clinics for speed and specialist services.
It’s what I would call a hybrid system, and once you understand how it works, it actually works very well.
As always, this is not official advice and I’m certainly not an expert on immigration or healthcare law, so if you are seriously thinking about moving here you should always do your own research and due diligence.
But hopefully this episode gives you a realistic, personal view of healthcare, doctors, hospitals, waiting times, costs and everyday medical life here in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
If you’re new here, I’m David. I moved to Bosnia over twenty-six years ago and never really left. This Substack is about my retirement, daily life, culture and what it’s actually like living in this often misunderstood country.
Thanks for being here and for following the journey.
Thanks David. I am from the United States and what you have presented sounds like a more organized, caring, and definitely financially "doable" system. Things in the health system in American have become so bureaucratic and corporate money driven that care has suffered greatly. Dentistry is definitely unaffordable and I travel to Mexico for that. We have medicare and it costs $200 per month for 80% of medical costs. The 20% which can go into the thousands of dollars is up to the patient to pay. One can get supplementary insurance to cover the 20% but that may cost close to $300 dollars a month. Often prescriptions are out of pocket. I recently attempted to acquire an appointment with a neurologist. The average wait time is 3-4 months. It doesn't matter what the issue may be, unless of course one is hospitalized. The system is in great need of an overhaul. Health care was never meant to be a profitable enterprise. Thanks for listening to my rant.