Can a Person Over 65 Enroll in the SGK Health Insurance Scheme?

[Troy]

I have a friend coming to Turkey who is over 65. He is asking me if he can enroll in the SGK health insurance scheme when he arrives.

I have tried to get an answer on this from the SGK but they just direct me to their website or to a very long PDF file in Turkish. I know that people over 65 don't require health insurance for residency, and that theoretically one must be a resident for one year before they can enroll (even though I know people who have successfully enrolled in their first year). So here is my question:

As anyone here been able to enroll in the SGK health insurance scheme after age 65?

[Brucat]

Yes they can. Have to have a medical at Devlet hospital first.

[Diverbaz 1]

I think you need to have had residency for 1 year first.

[tuzlachap]

No.

any expat  over 65 has to provide their own health insurance. I am 70 and have been categorically told by the Turkish health ministry  that unless I can provide an alternative health insurance for myself I am not covered by any SGK .

I would suggest to anyone in my situation that you do not quit the UK cover as you will find any Turkish similar health care packages a drain on your resources.

TC

[quackers]

You have to have a resıdency for 1 year before you can apply and then you need a medıcal at Devlet hospıtal ( Tues and Thursday only). Over 65 have the optıon to take out prıvate medıcal insurance or apply for SGK or no insurance and pay as you go. You wont be covered by SGK unless you have and pass the medıcal Tuzla

[LeeGlo]

Your friend should also be aware that once you are enrolled in SGK you can't cancel and opt out again unless you are surrendering your RP and leaving the country, or if you die !
The fees incease twice a year in January and July, currently 305TL per person.

[Troy]

Thanks for all of your replies. I am also hearing that he can apply at over 65 years of age. What I am looking for is someone who has actually done it. it looks like from Tuzlachap's post he is the only one replying who has actually tried it, and he was refused. Hence my continued confusion. I don't mean to doubt anyone, but I need to be sure about it, and all of us who have been in Turkey for a while know that what you hear, even from a government office, isn't necessarily the way it really is. I have been mislead a few times already by various government officials. They never seem to look anything up, they just tell you what they think off the top of their head.

Has anyone here actually applied for SGK insurance while over 65, and been accepted?

[quackers]

Ask the questıon on Fethiye Ex Pats page on FB  and see what answers you get.

[Brucat]

My husband is 70 in August and he was accepted in November . We had to wait till we had been resident for 1 year. We had no problems

[Scunner]

My God I can't believe he will be 70!!!