It’s official! Pupils, students and doctoral students attending courses at schools and universities abroad will benefit from health insurance without paying contributions. The draft law, initiated by a group of PNL parliamentarians and adopted by the Senate last April, finally received the vote of the Chamber of Deputies.
Romanian students abroad will be medically insured in Romania. Photo source: archive
The decision also concerns the graduates of the faculties of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy who will benefit from medical insurance without paying the health contribution for another six months after graduating from the faculty. The reason? They finish their courses in the summer, but the licensure exam is held only in September. Moreover, the graduates of the faculties of general medicine do not have the right to free practice until after passing the residency exam, which takes place in November. Then, in the idea that they passed the exam, the distribution process lasts for a while.
“Through an erroneous interpretation of the law, Health Insurance Companies no longer recognize students’ right to health insurance without paying the contribution once they reach the age of 18, the problem being reported by a number of Romanian students studying abroad, but who kept their domicile in Romania. By introducing such a provision in the law, the activities of the courts will no longer be burdened by the files submitted by the wronged pupils and students. Until now, the decisions of the courts have been in favor of these pupils and students who turned to them to be able to benefit from the right to health insurance”. it is stated in the report of the Health Commission for the legislative proposal submitted last spring.
The provision applies including in the case of young people between 18 and 26 26 years old, apprentices studying in a high school education institution or accredited professional school in another country.
More precisely, according to the adopted texts, they will benefit from health insurance, without paying the contribution:
- children up to the age of 18;
- young people from 18 to 26 years of age, including high school graduates, until the start of the academic year, but no more than 3 months after finishing their studies;
- apprentices or students;
- graduates of the faculties of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, but no more than 6 months after graduating from the faculty;
- doctoral students;
- people who follow the individual training module, based on their request, to become professional soldiers or graduates.
Expert: “The Romanian state offers young people unexpected help”
Alexandra Bădescu, general director of Integrare Edu, one of the most important educational consultants in Romania for studies abroad, stated for “Adevărul” that, over time, there have been many petitions from students who, once back in the country , were not insured in the health system. Those who returned to the country for various reasons, often had to pay for their medical services out of their own pocket. Which is why the complaints started flowing. Obviously, this new regulation will significantly reduce the costs they have to bear in case they face a health problem. “The advice we offer to young people who want to study abroad also touches on this issue of medical insurance that they have to pay for in the country where they want to study. We tell them that in addition to the tuition fee, they must have the financial resources to pay for their accommodation, meals, transport and medical insurance”, specified the specialist. “We also explain to them that, once they leave Romania, they no longer benefit from medical health insurance. Now we will have to make them aware of the news, the young people must know all the implications of the decision they are making”, the expert specified.
Alexandra Bădescu is of the opinion that the new law will relieve young people of a lot of expenses. “The decision is a very good one, it really helps these children. Although it may seem like a small thing to us, it means a lot to them. The state finally offers them a helping hand. It relieves both them and their parents of expenses”.
A heavy burden is lifted from the parents’ shoulders
The director refers to the fact that the parents of many students who have gone abroad choose to pay the social health insurance to the state budget on behalf of their children so that the latter are still covered when they arrive in the country. Other parents, who do not want to pay to the state budget, choose private health insurance. “But this is not a solution for everyone. There are people who cannot afford such a luxury”continues Alexandra Bădescu. Another option, the expert says, is the study insurance. “There are kids who go outside and don’t want to pay insurance there. I take certain insurances from Romania. They are called study insurance. But they work just like travel insurance, like you go as a tourist in a foreign country, they’re just for emergencies.” consider the specialist.
Alexandra Bădescu is of the opinion that the legislative proposal, which received 244 votes for and one against, could lead students to look, perhaps, with different eyes at the Romanian system and Romania. “When you go abroad friend of the state, maybe you think more seriously and decide to go back and apply what you learned in the schools outside. Because there are a lot of responsible children who think they have to come back home and help the community they left.”
How would things go for them after the law is implemented? Romanian students who will have more serious medical problems and which they will not be able to solve in the country where they study will receive help from the Romanian state. They will return to the country and be able to treat their ailments for free, based on a health insurance without paying contributions. “The medical insurance they pay abroad is for medical emergencies. The more serious problems will be solved in the country”.
