Health insurance in Cambodia for expats

Cambodia has a two-tier healthcare system, with a range of public healthcare clinics supplemented by private healthcare facilities, mainly in the big cities.

The public healthcare system provides a basic level of care across a limited range of treatments and functions. This includes general consultations; emergency treatments; maternity and child healthcare; vaccination and infectious disease treatment; and a limited range of prescriptions. Concerns around care quality and access means that as many as 60% of people in Cambodia choose to avoid public health facilities and use private healthcare instead.¹

More than 60% of all healthcare spending in Cambodia is done out-of-pocket², while many others subscribe to local health insurance schemes to cover costs incurred at public healthcare facilities. People employed in Cambodia should also receive this cover, with employers making social security contributions at a rate of 2.6% of the employee’s salary.³ There are also social health insurance schemes that cover public healthcare for civil servants and the less wealthy.

The standard of care in Cambodia is relatively basic, and falls short of standards that would be expected in the Western world: the country spends only US$122 per capita on healthcare each year.⁴ The issues are even greater in rural areas; even though 75% of the population around 18 million⁵ live in the countryside, 50% of all physicians and 75% of all specialists work in the capital, Phnom Penh.⁴

Public healthcare facilities are often overcrowded, lacking in facilities and understaffed, meaning that most locals who can afford to use private facilities do so. Because of this, it’s common for those with the means to travel outside of Cambodia to places like Thailand and Singapore for major procedures, emergency evacuation and childbirth.¹

Care in private hospitals is generally of a much higher standard, and patients will receive greater levels of care and attention, as well as faster access to treatment. Some more advanced procedures may not necessarily be covered (hence the demand for care abroad). It should also be noted that availability of good-quality private health facilities is limited outside Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.⁶

There is also language to consider. Finding English-speaking staff at hospitals and clinics may be limited, and you may find that many medical documents are in Khmer, the national language of Cambodia.¹ It’s important to have access to a Khmer speaker if possible, or if looking for private healthcare facilities, to find one where English is widely spoken and understood.

Foreign expats with legal residency can access the public healthcare system in the same way as residents. However, this may not cover all your likely healthcare requirements.

Taking out private healthcare cover instead ensures that you can not only access the best care available in Cambodia, but also that the costs of evacuation or seeking treatment abroad are covered, too. This is the most cost-effective way of ensuring that you can access care and treatment, as and when you need it.

What kind of documentation do I need to access healthcare in Cambodia?

As well as having at least six months’ validity on your passport, you will also need a valid visa to enter Cambodia, and register your accommodation arrangements on the Foreigners Present in Cambodia System (FPCS) app. A tourist visa lasts 30 days and can be applied for online at least four days in advance.⁷ 

If you intend to work in Cambodia, you’ll need to apply for a business visa and a work permit. If employed in Cambodia, your employer has to make health-based social security contributions, which should cover your registration for the public system.

The costs of using the public healthcare system are low⁶, whether paying out of pocket or subscribing to a local health insurance scheme. However, it should be remembered that the public system is limited in quality of care, and the scale of services provided.

If you do need extensive care, or you need to be evacuated to be treated abroad, then healthcare bills can ramp up very quickly – and many providers will expect to be paid up front. Fees for being airlifted to Singapore or Bangkok can reach more than US$20,000.⁸ Having private medical insurance in place is important for not only covering these costs, but also in reimbursing you quickly so that the disruption to your finances is minimal.

The public healthcare system cannot be relied upon to provide advanced, good-quality care as and when it’s needed. Only private cover, including the ability to be evacuated abroad if required, can give you access to the care you need at a manageable cost.

What are the benefits of private health insurance in Cambodia?

Taking out expat health insurance in Cambodia can make a real difference to your care provision, and make it easier for you to settle there, thanks to:

• Shorter waiting times: getting access to specialists, consultations and even emergency treatment can be quicker when using private health facilities.
• High-quality care: private health insurance in Cambodia means you can access English-speaking staff, more comfortable facilities, and private ambulance services in the event of an emergency.
• Dental cover: a comprehensive expat health insurance policy will extend to advanced dental treatments, both inside and outside Cambodia.
• Prescription cover: prescriptions are only covered in Cambodia to a limited extent, so having cover in place can ensure that you don’t end up with sizable bills for the medication you need.
• Evacuation and care abroad: a good private medical insurance policy will cover you in multiple countries, meaning you can access better care outside Cambodia if necessary.
• Peace of mind: private cover is the best way to feel assured that you can access the care you need, as and when you need it, without breaking the bank in the process. 

Would I need dental insurance in Cambodia?

Arrangements around dental care in Cambodia are similar to those in the wider healthcare system. Public facilities such as hospitals can provide a basic level of dental care, but many foreign expats and Cambodian residents opt to use private dental clinics or seek treatment abroad instead.⁶

If paying out-of-pocket for dental treatment in Cambodia, costs are very low. Routine cleanings are normally around US$20, fillings cost around $50 and root canal treatments around $100.⁹ But as is the case in any country, paying out-of-pocket can result in costs ramping up very quickly, which is where having private dental cover in place delivers good value for money as well as peace of mind.

Cambodia has different numbers for different emergency services, and the number for an ambulance is 119. However, there have been reports that response times to ambulance calls can be slow, and calls may not even be answered at all.¹

Foreign expats, therefore, should make their own arrangements to get to hospital if needed. Some private hospitals run their own emergency vehicle services, mainly for life-threatening situations or for road traffic accidents. These can be called for directly from the hospital; upfront payment may be required, although if you have good private health insurance in place, you will be able to claim this money back promptly.