Türkiye Expands the List of Reimbursable Drugs

Kemal Memişoğlu

On June 30, 2025, Turkish Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu announced that the Social Security Institution (SGK) was to add important immunotherapy drugs to the list of reimbursable items. This decision was later put into action by the announcement in the Official Gazette on July 10. This recent news provides great hope for those struggling financially while fighting against cancer. Considering that the price range of the aforementioned drugs is 30k to 100k Turkish Liras and that they have to be bought up to two times a month, it is certain that this decision will bring great relief to many households.

With the updated regulation, 5 immunotherapy drugs applied against 25 different subtypes of cancer will be included on the list. Nearly 48,000 cancer patients are expected to benefit from these treatments, as the number of cancer drugs rises to 784.

The Role of Healthcare Insurances

Turkish healthcare consists of both public and private institutions. Major health reforms throughout the 2000s and 2010s led to universal health insurance coverage and a significant improvement in the overall quality of healthcare services. Türkiye introduced universal health care in 2003 through the General Health Insurance (GHI) system, funded by a tax surcharge on employers. With the increase in minimum wage at the beginning of 2025, the insurance cost per month has become 780.17 TL, which is approximately 3% of the minimum wage. This amount totals 9362 TL a year, which, when paid monthly, can save the person tens of thousands of liras.

Social Security Institution (SGK) covers the following medical treatments: emergencies, work accidents and vocational illnesses, infectious diseases, preventive health services (substance use), childbirth, extraordinary events (injuries from war and natural disasters), fertility treatment for women younger than 39, cosmetic surgery deemed medically necessary, as well as dental care in some SGK-contracted hospitals. Due to its scope and accessibility, the coverage provided by Turkish general health insurance can be considered better than most countries. Independent businesses also offer additional medical insurance plans that are more extensive or provide more luxurious hospital stays, but they are more expensive. However, these insurances do not count towards the universal healthcare goal of the United Nations, which aims to ensure everyone receives the health services they need without facing financial hardship, because they are usually preferred by the upper-middle class or higher. Consequently, their role is more aligned with supplementary coverage rather than core healthcare provision, reinforcing the idea that genuine universality is best achieved through public systems.

Nevertheless, this extensive coverage is particularly notable when compared to many other countries, where astonishing expenses or limited insurance provisions can restrict access to vital healthcare services. Türkiye’s approach helps reduce financial barriers, ensuring that those with lower income levels or in vulnerable populations can receive timely and adequate care without high expenses.

Reaching Universal Healthcare

The UHC Cube

According to the UHC Coverage Index shared by the World Health Organization, Türkiye is 68th with 76% coverage, whereas the aimed target is 80%. It should be noted that Türkiye is definitely close to this target, but it still has not exactly reached it. According to this same report, the U.S. has a percentage of over 80, which is unexpected considering that the U.S. has one of the priciest healthcare systems in the world. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), the average annual cost of individual health insurance in the U.S. in 2024 was US$8,951, which is approximately 359,000 TL with today’s currency. This amount is almost forty times the annual cost of Turkish general public health insurance. Furthermore, healthcare expenses per capita in the U.S. are around US$12,742 per person, by far the highest in the world and nearly twice the average of other wealthy countries. There are multiple reasons for this, with some being high pharmaceutical costs, as well as inconsistent healthcare systems that vary by state. So, how is the U.S. more successful in contributing to the aim of universal healthcare than Türkiye, according to the WHO?

This is primarily due to the existence of multiple health insurance plans. Since in the U.S., insurance is primarily provided by private companies and is more expensive, the scope of their coverage is also greater, even though they are accessible to fewer people. On the other hand, government or public health insurances are preferred less. Thus, if the average is taken, the private insurances will play a greater role in the result and will make healthcare systems seem more universal since they cover more treatments and procedures. While in Türkiye, most people use public health insurance, which is still being improved to reach the 80% threshold.

This confusion can be solved by data from the OECD Data Explorer, which allows the user to choose government health insurance specifically. According to the 2023 data from this source, Türkiye is 26th out of 39 with 99.3% coverage, whereas the U.S. comes last with 40.2%.

While Türkiye provides universal healthcare, this does not mean that its healthcare quality is low. Türkiye is 51st globally in terms of the quality of medical services, according to a report by Bloomberg Agency in 2023, and receives more than 400,000 foreign patients annually.

Türkiye has made remarkable progress in expanding coverage and improving healthcare quality. However, issues like regional disparities and difficulties with healthcare infrastructure still exist. Thus, continuous reform efforts, like adding immunotherapy drugs to SGK’s reimbursement list, investments in medical technology, and a focus on quality assurance, are essential to sustain and enhance Türkiye’s global standing.

Edited by: Melisa Altıntaş, Ömer Gökce