General information about the access to health care in Hungary here.
You have access to the following general medical services (relevant legislation available here):
- basic medical care, as provided by general practitioners (GP)
- examinations and medical treatments provided by policlinics for day-care patients in case of emergencies, as well as related medication and bandages
- hospital care in case of emergencies and relevant treatments (surgery interventions, medical supplies, prosthetics, and meals)
- emergency dental care, within the lowest compensation category
- prenatal care and obstetrics, voluntary interruption of pregnancy in accordance with the conditions defined by law
- transportation by ambulance when necessary
- mandatory vaccinations.
You have access to the following specialized services (relevant legislation available here, please read Section 6 (2) b)):
- specialized oncological treatment
- examinations and medical treatment for other chronic diseases
You can have access to special treatment, such as rehabilitation, psychological and clinical psychological care and psychotherapeutic treatment, free of charge, if it is necessary due to your individual situation and on the basis of a specialist medical opinion.
Is a Social Security Card (TAJ) needed to visit a doctor?
You do not need TAJ card to visit a doctor or medical clinics. The number on your TP card is sufficient to be treated by the doctor. Health care service providers were informed by the minister responsible for health care. You can download a copy of the letter here in Hungarian and take a copy with you to the doctor.
How can I get a TAJ card?
If you hold a Temporary Protection status and you are not employed, you cannot receive a TAJ card.
However, your general practitioner or a medical service provider should give you a “Technical ID” (technikai azonositó). More information: Using a Technical ID to access healthcare – UNHCR Hungary
You will receive a document certifying the Technical ID. Patients are advised to carry this document with them and use the same Technical ID for any healthcare service.
Please consult with your doctor for issuance, and you can refer to this legislation: 171/2022. (IV. 29.) Korm. rendelet az ukrajnai válsággal összefüggő egyes, az egészségügyi ellátást érintő adatkezelési kérdésekről – Hatályos Jogszabályok Gyűjteménye (jogtar.hu)
You can also show your doctor this manual about how to issue a Technical ID: EESZT Technical ID manual HUN.pdf
The main difference between using the Technical ID and the TP number is that your medical data (such as previous services, diagnosis and test results) can be stored online and are visible to other doctors if needed. Based on your Technical ID, the pharmacists can also see the prescribed medication. So you do not the need for paper-based prescriptions and the possibilities to make a mistake. Having a Technical ID is however not a requirement to access health services.
In case you later obtain a TAJ number, all your health care data will be linked to the new TAJ number.
If you would like to understand the legal background, please click here.
If you hold a TP status and you are employed, your employer will request a TAJ card on your behalf. For this, your employer will need your address certification that you received from NDGAP (szálláshelyet igazoló hatósági bizonyítvány) to verify your address, which is a requirement to receive a TAJ card. Once you have a TAJ card and you or your employer or the state pays your social insurance tax, you have access to all in-kind and cash-based health services as Hungarians have health insurance coverage.
Subsidized medication
As a Temporary Protection applicant or status holder, you are entitled to certain medical care treatments, and you are eligible to receive subsidized medications associated with that care. The doctor needs to use the number of your TP card for the prescription. Make sure that the prescription shows your TP number and it’s marked as “Normatív” (meaning covered by health insurance) instead of “Teljes ár” (full price).
Health care service providers were informed by letter about this by the minister responsible for health care in 2022. You can download the letter of the healthcare minister at annex 2 here in Hungarian and take a copy with you to the doctor.
In practice, it may help the pharmacists if you provide your TP card and ask them to choose the “menedékes, menekülő” category in their digital platform. This way, the pharmacist will be able to sell the medication at a reduced price.
If you have a TAJ number or a Technical ID, the prescription can be prescribed online on the EESZT server, which connects GPs, policlinics, hospitals, and residents of Hungary (This is also the case if you have already received your technical ID.) In that case, you need to show your TAJ number or Technical ID and ID documents at the pharmacy, and they will see the prescription online. You are entitled to receive subsidized medication by law if the medicine is covered by health insurance.
If you would like to understand the legal background, please click (here): Gyógyszerellátás – NEAK (gov.hu)
Priority medicines with a 300 HUF reimbursement premium
In case you need regular medications or bandages in order to respond to an emergency or as part of the basic health care treatment, your doctor can prescribe medication and certain medical products at a reduced price or even free of charge. Pharmacists should not charge / or charge only a fraction of the actual price for the listed medications and bandages. But everyone has to pay a 300 Forint reimbursement fee for a box of medicines If you would like to understand the legal background, please click (here), and read Article 26 h).
Wheelchair, hearing aid or any other medical devices
If you are a TP holder without TAJ number, the doctor can provide you with a prescription for required medical devices free of charge.
If you work with your TP status and you hold a TAJ card, you can receive medical devices with a subsidized price if prescribed by an authorized doctor.
If you have a work residence permit in Hungary, you are contributing to the Hungarian health insurance system and you have access the health care under the same conditions as Hungarian nationals. However, your children and parents will not automatically have the same benefits. For instance, if they hold a Temporary Protection Status, they have access only to the limited services as explained above.
How can I get a TAJ card?
If you have a work permit and you are legally employed in Hungary, you are entitled to receive a “TAJ card”. Your employer will request a “TAJ card” on your behalf.
Priority medicines with a 300 HUF reimbursement premium
If you are legally employed in Hungary, you can receive a TAJ card and active insurance, which means that you have access to the Hungarian health insurance system. The medicine administered during your treatment is covered by the health insurance. This is true for GP care, as well as in-patient and outpatient care.
Wheelchair, hearing aid or any other medical devices
As a work permit holder, you are not entitled to receive medical devices free of charge. In certain medically critical cases you might be entitled for reduced or free of charge medical devices. Since you do not permanently reside in Hungary, you cannot apply for public health card. Use your passport to prove your eligibility.
If you are a Hungarian citizen with a permanent residence in Ukraine, who has arrived in Hungary on or after February 24, 2022, you are entitled to the same healthcare treatment as Temporary Protection holders.
If you are legally employed in Hungary, you are entitled to health insurance, and you will receive a “TAJ number” from your employer, which is the social security number: a personal identification code introduced in health, social and pension insurance schemes to protect personal data.
If you are below 18 or a student in Hungary with Hungarian citizenship and have a permanent residence in Hungary, you are also eligible for free health care services.
Is a Social Security Card (TAJ) needed to visit a doctor?
If you are a Hungarian citizen permanently residing in Ukraine who arrived in Hungary on or after February 24, 2022, from Ukraine, you are entitled to the same healthcare treatment as Temporary Protection holders.
How can I get a TAJ card?
You are entitled to receive a TAJ card if you have a permanent address in Hungary for a year. Your permanent address is confirmed by the address card, which you can request from the local governmental office. You need to have a written permission from the flat owner to register the flat as your permanent address.
If you are not able to obtain a permanent address and you permanently reside in Ukraine, you have access to the same healthcare services as a beneficiary of temporary protection, if you have arrived to Hungary on or after 24 February 2022. In this case you can still ask your doctor to issue a Technical ID. Please note that you will need a document certifying that you entered Hungary on or after 24 February 2022.
If you have received a TAJ card due to your employment but you lost the employment, you have to pay 11300 HUF/month for in-kind health services to the tax authority (NAV). Other conditions are that you must have a place of residence, have been in Hungary for 1 year and have not been insured in Ukraine anymore.
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- For more information on TAJ card, please click here.
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- For more information on the application for an address card, please click here.
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- For more information on in-kind health services fee, please click here.
Priority medicines with a 300 HUF reimbursement premium
If you have permanent residence in Hungary and TAJ number, you are entitled to receive a public health certificate (közgyógyellátási igazolvány), given that your doctor verifies your regular need. Second condition is that your ability to work is reduced, or you have a serious disability. You can be eligible also if your monthly income is less than 29.925 HUF/ person in your household (or 44.175,-Ft if you live alone) and the monthly cost of regular medical treatment exceeds 2.850 Ft. If one of these applies to you, you can apply for the public health certificate at a local governmental office. List of governmental offices are available here: Kormányhivatalok (kormanyhivatalok.hu)
If you do not have a permanent residence and/or TAJ card, ask your GP to verify your medical need for the medication. Your doctor can subscribe the medication, and medical appliances on a case by case basis. You might get medication freely or on a reduced price and this also applies to medical appliances, depending on your doctor’s assessment.
Wheelchair, hearing aid or any other medical devices
If you are a dual citizen, and you have TAJ card you can apply for a public health card (“közgyógyellátási igazolvány”) at the governmental office, which enables you to receive certain medical devises free of charge. Medical devices available and the price applicable can be found on this list: Indikációhoz kötött készítmények EÜ PONT – NEAK (gov.hu) If you have a public health card, you have to choose from this list, and it is free of charge.
If you would like to understand the legal background, please click here (Articles 49 – 52), and you can find more information here: Közgyógyellátási igazolvány felhasználása – NEAK (gov.hu).
If you do not have a TAJ card, you can use your TP card for
