17/09/2026
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Expat Healthcare Guide: How Healthcare Works in Romania 🇷🇴
Are you an expat living in Romania and trying to understand how healthcare actually works?
One of the most confusing aspects can be the difference between:
🏥 Public healthcare through CNAS
🏨 Private medical subscriptions (abonamente)
🛡️ Private health insurance
For example, if you have a state referral (bilet de trimitere), certain medical investigations — including high-performance investigations such as CT and MRI — can be covered through the public healthcare system when the relevant conditions are met.
However, these services are provided through contracted medical providers and within contractual funding limits. When the available amount has been exhausted, you may need to look for another provider with available funding or consider paying privately.
A private medical subscription is different. It can provide convenient access to consultations, routine investigations and other services included in a specific medical network.
But a subscription should not automatically be confused with private health insurance.
Private health insurance can provide financial protection for covered medical services such as hospitalization and surgery, depending on the specific policy, coverage limits, exclusions, waiting periods and medical underwriting. For example, Allianz-Țiriac's current SanaPro information describes direct settlement within its partner network and benefits related to hospitalization and surgical procedures, subject to the policy terms.
If you are an expat in Romania, some useful questions to ask are:
• How does the public healthcare system work for me?
• What happens when I need an MRI or CT?
• What does my private medical subscription actually include?
• What happens if I need hospitalization or surgery?
• Which hospitals and clinics can I use?
• What are the limits, exclusions and waiting periods?
• Can I receive assistance in English?
I have prepared a simple 1-page comparison matrix covering the three options:
CNAS | Private Medical Subscription | Private Health Insurance
If you are an expat living in Romania and want to understand the differences before choosing your healthcare protection:
📩 If we are already connected, send me a DM and I’ll be happy to share it with you.
🤝 If we’re not connected yet, feel free to send me a connection request with “HEALTH” in the note.
👋 And if you’d simply like to follow my content about health and financial protection in Romania, follow my profile.
📩 Dalia Anghel
Financial Consultant – Life & Health Department
Allianz-Țiriac Asigurări