President Erdoğan Signed It! Health Services Will Be Free Until the End of 2020! President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has delivered good news to citizens. Including those with premium debts under the General Health Insurance (GSS) system, people will be able to receive health services free of charge until the end of 2020. Citizens who heard the news expressed great relief. Previously, those with a GSS premium debt of 60 days or more could not access health services at hospitals.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed and published a decision to resolve this hardship for citizens. The previously extended deadline of 31.12.2019 for free access to health services has been reviewed and, with the President’s signature, has now been extended to 31.12.2020. The purpose of General Health Insurance is to ensure that all citizens can benefit from essential health services.
It is also known that foreign nationals residing within Turkey can access health insurance if they wish. In this context, those over 18 who are neither insured nor working can pay the determined fee to the state to benefit from health, pharmacy and intensive care services.
Health Services Are Free for Those Who Take the Income Test!
Health services are free for those who take the income test. Under General Health Insurance, citizens who are not working and not retired have a payment obligation. If the income of a non-working, non-retired citizen is less than one third of the gross minimum wage, the state covers these premiums on their behalf so they can use health services free of charge. You can apply to the district governor’s office to have an income test performed.
Family members of a citizen who works as an insured employee can benefit from health services free of charge under the working person’s insurance. The relatives who can receive free health services through the insured worker’s coverage are as follows.
- The spouse of the insured employee,
- Children of the insured employee under 18 years of age,
- The age limit for children to benefit from the insured person’s coverage is 20 for high school students and 25 for university students. If the child who will benefit from the insurance is disabled, there is no age requirement,
- The parents whom the insured worker is legally responsible for supporting.
What Documents Are Required to Apply for the Income Test?
What documents are required to apply for the income test? Citizens who want to take the income test must prepare some documents. The documents required to apply for the income test are as follows.
- Obtain a GSS application form from the Social Services unit, usually located inside the district governor’s building,
- Residence certificate (proof of address),
- Photocopy of identity card,
- Fill out the GSS application form and have it signed at the Tax Office,
- The neighborhood headman (muhtar) fills in and signs the required parts,
- All sections of the document must be completed and the papers submitted to the district governor’s office.
How Can GSS Premium Debt Be Checked?
How can GSS premium debt be checked? Checking your GSS premium debt is now very easy. You can also check your GSS debt through the e-Government (e-Devlet) system. After logging in to the e-Government system, type “GSS” in the search box to query. When you click the “General Health Insurance Registration and Premium Debt Inquiry” link that appears, you can view all details of any outstanding debt.