Medicine and health in Moldova

If you use the public health system (CNAM)

Everyone who has a CNAM policy is assigned to a family doctor (medicul de familie). This doctor is your first point of contact in the system and issues referrals to specialists.

Appointments can be made:

• by phone to the clinic;
  
• in person at the reception desk;
  
• online through the electronic system Programare la medic (in some institutions).

❗️ Important: without a referral from a family doctor, a consultation with a specialist within the CNAM will most often be paid.

Waiting time: in public hospitals, it can range from a few days to several weeks, depending on the workload.

If you are using private healthcare

In private clinics, appointments are made directly, without a referral.

• Most often, appointments are made through the clinic's website, by phone, or through mobile apps.
• The cost of a consultation with a private doctor ranges from €20 to €50.
  
• Popular private networks: Medpark, Repromed, Terramed.

Insurance and appointments

• Patients with CNAM have access to public doctors under their insurance policy.
• Tourists and foreigners without CNAM can only go to private clinics and pay for visits directly or through international insurance.
  
• Students and workers with a residence permit are required to register with CNAM in order to be eligible for public services.

Important information for Ukrainians

• Ukrainians with temporary protection are entitled to public healthcare on the same terms as Moldovan citizens after registration.
  
• Tourists from Ukraine must have international insurance so they don't have to pay for visits entirely out of pocket.

➡️ Get medical insurance that covers doctor consultations in Moldova and emergency treatment.

Moldova has a compulsory health insurance system (CNAM), as well as private policies that can be purchased additionally. For tourists and newly arrived Ukrainians, international insurance is a prerequisite for access to medical care.

State insurance (CNAM)

CNAM provides basic services in state clinics and hospitals.

The policy covers:

• consultations with a family doctor;
  
• examinations and tests by referral;
  
• inpatient treatment and surgery;
  
• emergency care.

Who can apply for CNAM:

• Moldovan citizens;
  
• foreigners with a residence permit (students, workers, families of residents);
  
• Ukrainians with temporary protection after registration.

Private insurance

Private policies are available from large insurance companies and allow you to visit private clinics.

They usually cover:

• consultations with specialists without a referral;
  
• dentistry and diagnostics;
  
• hospitalization in private hospitals;
  
• part of the cost of medication.

Private insurance is convenient for foreigners who do not have CNAM or want to use modern clinics.

Insurance for private clinics

To avoid high bills in private hospitals, take out an international policy in advance. It will cover consultations and hospitalization in Moldova on terms that are more favorable for foreigners.

For tourists and newcomers

• Tourists must have an international insurance policy, as CNAM is not available to them.
• Newly arrived Ukrainians with a residence permit or visa can apply for CNAM, but for the time being, it is better to have private insurance that is valid immediately upon arrival.
  
• Details about medical regulations and reforms are published on the website of the Ministry of Health of Moldova.

For Ukrainians with temporary protection

After registration, Ukrainians get access to the public healthcare system on the same terms as Moldovan citizens. This means that the CNAM policy covers:

• consultations with a family doctor;
  
• referrals to specialists;
• emergency care;
  
• treatment in hospitals and inpatient facilities;
  
• part of the cost of tests and diagnostics.

For students and employees

Foreigners with a residence permit are required to take out a CNAM policy. This guarantees access to public clinics and hospitals without additional payments for most basic services.

For tourists

State insurance does not cover tourists. Any visits to the doctor or hospitalization are paid for directly or through a private international policy. Without insurance, even a doctor's consultation can cost €20-40, and emergency treatment can cost hundreds of euros.

Travel insurance

To avoid paying all the costs yourself, take care of medical insurance before you leave. The policy will cover the costs of consultations and emergency treatment in Moldova from the first day of your trip.

What is not covered by CNAM

Even for Ukrainians with temporary protection or a residence permit, the CNAM policy does not include:

• most dental services;
• cosmetology and plastic surgery;
  
• private clinics and laboratories (only for an additional fee or through a private policy).

Detailed conditions and lists of services are available on the website of the Ministry of Health of Moldova.

Documents to confirm your right to free services

• foreign passport;
  
• residence permit or temporary protection certificate;
  
• CNAM policy (plastic card or registration certificate).

⚖️ Legal assistance for Ukrainians in Moldova

There are cases when a hospital demands payment for services that should be free or refuses admission due to the lack of additional documents. In such situations, Visit Ukraine lawyers will help you:

• check the legality of the requirements;
  
• prepare an official appeal or complaint;
  
• defend your right to free medical care under the CNAM.

In Moldova, pharmacies (farmacii) are located almost everywhere in large cities and even in small towns. They are a key element of the healthcare system, as patients obtain most of their medications through them.

Where to find a pharmacy

The most common chains are Farmacia Familiei, Hippocrates, and Felicia.

• In cities, pharmacies are usually open from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., but there are also some that are open 24 hours a day.
  
• Pharmacies on duty on weekends and holidays can be found via Google Maps or on the websites of pharmacy chains.

Over-the-counter medications

The following are freely available:

• fever reducers and pain relievers (paracetamol, ibuprofen);
  
• vitamins and dietary supplements;
  
• medications for colds, coughs, and allergies;
  
• dressings and antiseptics.

More serious medications, such as antibiotics, are only available with a prescription.

How to get a prescription

• Prescriptions are issued by a family doctor (medicul de familie) or a specialist after consultation.
  
• The CNAM has an electronic prescription system — the doctor sends the data directly to the pharmacy, and the patient can simply present their ID or insurance policy.
• For foreigners without CNAM, the prescription is issued by a doctor at a private clinic, but the cost of the medication is paid in full.

Does insurance cover medication?

• CNAM partially reimburses the cost of basic medications from the list of essential drugs.
  
• Private policies or international insurance may reimburse part of the cost of prescription drugs.
• Tourists pay the full cost of medication if they do not have insurance.

Online orders and consultations

Some pharmacies (for example, Felicia.md) offer online orders with home delivery.

Online consultations with doctors are also gradually becoming more widespread in Moldova, and they can write electronic prescriptions for the subsequent purchase of medicines.

Practical advice for Ukrainians

If you are taking certain medications on a regular basis, bring a list of medications with the active ingredient in Latin. This will help the pharmacist quickly find an equivalent at a local pharmacy, as brand names often differ from those in Ukraine.

The emergency medical services system in Moldova operates at the national level and is available to anyone who finds themselves in a critical situation. It is important to know how to call an ambulance correctly and what costs may arise depending on your status.

How to call an ambulance

• The single emergency number in the country is 112 (free of charge, valid throughout the country).
• Dispatchers usually speak Romanian and Russian, and sometimes English in large cities.
  
• Teams are dispatched in case of serious conditions: injuries, traffic accidents, heart attacks, strokes, etc.

Do they provide services without insurance

Yes, in life-threatening situations, assistance is provided regardless of whether you have insurance. However, once your condition has stabilized, the hospital may issue a bill:

• For Moldovan citizens and foreigners with CNAM, the costs are covered by state insurance.
  
• For Ukrainians with temporary protection, ambulance and hospitalization in state institutions are also free.
  
• Tourists without insurance pay the full cost.

When is assistance free

• For residents and Ukrainians with CNAM — at any state institution.
  
• In emergency cases where there is a threat to life, even tourists will be given assistance first, but the bill will have to be paid later.
  
• International insurance allows tourists to be reimbursed immediately.

Hospitalization: how it works

• After calling an ambulance, the patient is taken to the nearest hospital with an urgenta department.
  
• In public hospitals, most of the costs are covered by CNAM.
  
• In private clinics, hospitalization is paid for directly, even if you have CNAM (additional insurance is required).
• The cost of staying in a hospital without insurance can reach €50-100 per day, depending on the hospital.

What documents to have with you

• passport or ID;
  
• CNAM policy or international insurance;
  
• residence permit or temporary protection certificate (for Ukrainians).

📎 Tip: even if you don't have CNAM, be sure to keep all receipts and hospital statements. You can submit them to your insurance company or use them for legal assistance in case of an incorrect bill.