Some medical providers that meet Western quality standards are available in Bucharest and other cities but can be difficult to locate.

Sanitary conditions in hospitals are variable. Nursing care and assistance from orderlies is often lacking in hospitals. Families often provide basic assistance to hospitalized relatives that U.S. citizens generally expect the hospital to provide.

Travelers seeking medical treatment should choose their provider carefully.

Most prescription drugs and over-the-counter medication are available in Romania but may be sold under different brand names.

Specific individual drugs may not be available due to differences in laws and regulations. Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in Romania. For further information, please consult the CDC's information on TB.

Response times for emergency services vary widely depending on the region of the country and the nature of the emergency. Romania has helicopter services available for the most critical medical evacuation situations.

A list of hospitals and physicians is available on the Embassy website. You can also find Information regarding health threats or other medical issues affecting visitors to Romania.

Good information on vaccinations and other health precautions can be found via the CDC website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website, which also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

MEDICAL INSURANCE: You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel, so it’s very important to find out BEFORE you leave. You need to ask your insurance company two questions:
Does my policy apply when I’m out of the U.S.?
Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or a medical evacuation?

In Romania, doctors and hospitals expect payment in cash at the time of service from foreigners. Your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover doctors’ and hospital visits in other countries.

Medicare/Medicaid is NOT valid in Romania. If your policy doesn’t provide overseas coverage, take out another one for your trip. For more information, please see our medical insurance overseas page.

Because of the limitations in medical care in Romania, the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest strongly recommends that you purchase overseas travel insurance with specific coverage for medical evacuation.