Health Care Options.

Different people come to Kiev and to Ukraine for different reasons. And different people have different health care needs. If you are "legally" employed in Ukraine, you may be covered, although you also might not be. If you are not covered, an employer may make up for that lack of coverage.

Since there are a number of conditions that must be met before you are covered under the universal healthcare given to Ukraine citizens, what are your options if you don't qualify? But before I continue, a disclaimer. I am speaking from personal experience and therefore may not be aware of many requirements and other options available. And I am not familiar with all the requirements of the law. That said, let's continue.

To remain in the country legally, you are required at minimum to purchase what could best be described as catastrophic coverage. This will cover life threatening events only. But at a cost of around $100 USD, it is not a burden for most. But this will not cover more routine medical needs. So, where to go next?

Although probably not an inclusive list, the options that most foreigners opt for come down to AMC - The American Medical Center, Boris, and a pay-as-you-go plan. Now, my main goal here is to let the reader know that there are options available. But I can't even begin to elaborate the similarities and differences between the various options, but here is a quick synopsis.

AMC - Pros:

• Various insurance plans available.
• English speaking Doctors, often foreign.

AMC - Cons:

• A policy buys you less overall coverage than other policies would. ($10,000 USD). Overall this is not as bad as one might imagine, since your healthcare dollars go a lot further here.
• One location only.

Boris - Pros:

• Higher overall medical coverage available for a similar cost ($30,000 USD).
• English speaking translators available.
• Uses the best available local medical talent.

Boris - Cons:

• The English speaking translators may not be fluent in medical terminology.
• Only two locations.

Pay-as-you-go - Pros:

• No expenses incurred until you need to see a doctor.
• Good quality care possible at minimal cost.

Pay-as-you-go - Cons:

• Forget about any language other than Russian or Ukrainian.
• You need an Ukrainian with insider knowledge of the system to guide you to the best doctors.

So, what have I used up to now? I've had the catastrophic coverage the government requires, but have never needed that. Beyond that, I've had coverage through Boris, and the pay-as-you-go system. I will write more about my experiences there in upcoming posts. Since I recently gained residency, I now have the same universal healthcare available to me that the average Ukrainian receives. Which is not always a good thing, but it is better than nothing at all.

More on my healthcare experiences in upcoming posts.

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