Learn About the Healthcare System & Insurance Options for Expats in Malta
Malta is an island nation in the Southern part of Europe situated in the middle of Sicily and the North African coast. Eligibility for Malta public healthcare relies on legal residency and registration with the national health system (not a blanket date); verify your residence permit and registration requirements to confirm entitlement. Legal residents who are properly registered and contributing to social insurance or who meet statutory entitlement rules are generally eligible for publicly-funded care, but specific entitlements (and any fees) depend on registration, employment/contribution status, and the category of service. As long as you’re a legal resident, you have access to lifelong healthcare in Malta for foreigners. Learn more about the Malta healthcare system below.
Malta’s health system is mainly tax- and social-security-funded and provides many services free at the point of use for entitled residents, but some services (e.g. selected prescriptions, dental care for adults, or non-covered services) can involve charges or co-payments. Public funds fuel the Malta healthcare system with cost-free delivery. The funding comes from its massive workforce that contributes to the national insurance system. It does not matter which country these workers are from originally. You can also be sure to be able to avail superior quality medical services during your entire stay here when you procure a Malta health insurance from a premier insurance provider. The CDC advises travelers to be in synch with latest required immunizations and to check with a travel-health clinician well before traveling; it is astute to go through the CDC Malta travel page for specific immunization guidelines and plan vaccination timing with your clinician.
Overview
Hospital services in the Maltese Islands have a long history (records show hospitals operating from the 14th century), and the Knights Hospitaller expanded hospital provision after the 16th century; the modern, publicly funded Malta healthcare system developed much later and should not be equated with early medieval institutions. When the Knights of St. John came to the country in the early 16th century, they started building hospitals as one of their fundamental objectives.
Present-day Malta has a largely publicly funded system and many services are free at the point of delivery for entitled residents, but some services (for example, certain dental treatments, some pharmaceuticals or private patient choices) can incur fees. The public sector of the Malta healthcare system framework ensures universal access, and the country has a time-honored history of GP-run primary healthcare. Public hospitals also provide secondary and tertiary care whenever needed.
Low-income groups and patients of chronic diseases can access social assistance programs. Accident & Emergency services at public hospitals (e.g., Mater Dei in Msida, Gozo General Hospital) provide urgent care within the Malta healthcare system to anyone physically present; for non-residents or those without entitlement, follow-up or non-emergency care may incur charges. Dial 112 for emergencies. In case of emergencies, hospitals in Malta provide free care. This facility is for everyone physically present in the country (visitors as well as residents) without health insurance. For retirees or long-term visitors, a wise move would be to get expat health insurance Malta instead of paying on the move.
How the Healthcare Works for Expats in Malta?
The quality of healthcare in Malta for foreigners is widely appreciated. Services can be categorized as private and public, regulated by the Ministry of Health and Elderly and Community Care, respectively.
Malta operates a mixed system with a dominant public sector (national health services) complemented by an expanding private sector and a network of primary health centers and community clinics. It all depends on the purpose of your stay in the country. Expats must have an insurance cover sourced from either Malta public healthcare, private insurance, or a combination of both.. Those who are privately insured can choose to go for a ‘top-up’ policy.
The workforce and the self-employed pay for social insurance and social security, and this amount contributes to primary healthcare insurance. However, in case you do not contribute to these schemes, you should get Malta health insurance from a private provider. You can also opt for paying medical bills using a pay-as-you-go system. This mode of personal insurance, or cash-based payment, is quite standard with the inhabitants of Malta.
Public Healthcare
The Mater Dei Hospital (Msida) is Malta’s main public acute and teaching hospital (opened 2007) and provides most tertiary and specialist services. The Malta public healthcare sector funds hospitals through taxes and caters to all types of therapies such as hospitalization, surgeries, pregnancy, labor, and recuperation. Malta’s Primary HealthCare network operates several health centers and community clinics that deliver a broad range of primary and preventive services across Malta and Gozo.
The public section of the Malta healthcare system is funded via taxes and caters to all types of therapies such as hospitalization, surgeries, pregnancy, labor, and recuperation. Malta’s Primary HealthCare network operates ten health centers plus many community clinics; these deliver a broad range of primary and preventive services across Malta and Gozo.
Besides general physician and nursing services, these centers also offer various preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services. One can access these services in clinics, which include postnatal, gynecology, ophthalmology, endocrinology, etc. Several other hospitals provide secondary and tertiary care throughout the nation.
Private Healthcare
As more and more residents in Malta go for private Malta health insurance, the number of private healthcare clinics and hospitals in Malta is also on the rise. However, most of the doctors employed in the private medical care system also function as general practitioners in government hospitals and clinics.
A large number of locals opt for private healthcare insurance, whereas a few go for general practitioners and consultants’ services on a pay-as-you-go basis. A majority of the employers in the country usually hire private doctors on contract for their employees.
Most of the GPs employed with the Malta healthcare system are also into private practice, which is highly reputed and better paying. Pharmacies are widely available and some community clinics operate in or alongside pharmacies for limited hours; however, GP services are primarily delivered through primary health centers and community clinics. Check local opening hours and make appointments where possible.
Emergency Medical Services Available
In situations of emergencies that necessitate immediate medical help, you can dial for an ambulance without delay. Dial 112 for ambulance, police, and fire services throughout Malta; calls are free and operators handle emergency dispatch. Access to healthcare in Malta for foreigners during emergencies is seamless.
Best Private International Medical Insurance for Expats Living in Malta
Many expats choose international health insurance for broader geographical cover and evacuation benefits, but long-term residents who are entitled to the Malta public healthcare system may prefer to register for public coverage and/or buy complementary private/top-up policies; choose based on residency status, health needs and planned travel. It helps you get access to hospitals and doctors of your preference. It applies to not just in Malta but in other countries where your policy is covered.
Which is the best Malta health insurance plan is always subjective. It will be different for different expats, based on its coverage of the expats’ essential needs and the expectations they have. Various aspects, like pre-existing medical conditions, age, specific requirements of medical insurance, and the situation in Malta, among other criteria, need to be considered. Compare international and local plans (check network hospitals and evacuation cover); established international insurers (e.g., Cigna, Allianz) operate in the market, however, expatriate insurance Malta policy terms vary. Obtain multiple quotes and check exclusions (pre-existing conditions, waiting periods)
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