Healthcare in Romania 2026: system, quality & insurance

Healthcare in Romania: the public system

Romania has a mandatory social health-insurance (SHI) system run by CNAS, funded by a health contribution (CASS) of 10% of income. Insured residents get GP care, hospital treatment and prescriptions at low or no cost at the point of use; emergency care is free for everyone. Foreigners with a legal right to reside are entitled to public care on the same terms as Romanians once they contribute. Quality varies a lot: modern hospitals in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca contrast with under-funded provincial units, waiting lists can be long, and informal payments still linger — which is why most expats also carry private cover.

How residents pay in (CASS)

Employees have CASS deducted automatically at 10% of gross salary. Non-employed residents can enrol voluntarily by filing the annual Declaraţie Unică with the tax authority (ANAF) and paying CASS on a minimum base. In practice that voluntary contribution is roughly 2,430 RON (about €485) for a full year of cover in 2026. EU/EEA citizens and short-term visitors can instead use a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for necessary care while their home-country cover applies.

Private care and insurance

Private clinics and hospital chains such as Regina Maria, MedLife and Sanador offer fast, English-friendly care at modest prices, and both local and international private insurance are cheap by Western-European standards. Most Romanian long-stay (D) visas require private health insurance when you apply — the digital-nomad visa specifically asks for cover of at least €30,000 valid for your whole stay — because that route is built around you keeping income and taxes abroad rather than paying CASS. You register for the public system only after you hold your residence permit and start contributing.

At a glance

Where it fits in a borderless plan

Romania pairs low living costs with cheap private care and a mandatory public system you can join once you're resident and contributing. Healthcare is one of the practical pillars of actually living somewhere. Weigh it against the visa route in our Romania digital-nomad visa guide, alongside banking and where you are tax-resident. Compare systems in our healthcare-abroad guide.