Kazakhstan has a social security system which covers basic health treatments and also applies to foreigners with a fully integrated residency status. However, even if you are covered by social security, you might want to take out additional private health insurance as public treatment is relatively basic.
Quality healthcare in the major Kazakhstan cities will be expensive to expats if they’re not registered as residents. Many expats have health insurance provided for them by their employer but if this is not the case, it’s definitely worth taking out a comprehensive policy to ensure that you’re protected in case the worst should happen. Your insurance company will be partnered with a specific clinic that will facilitate your access to treatment and provide a high standard of care.
As the quality of healthcare in Kazakhstan isn’t the highest, it’s likely you will be sent abroad if you need treatment for more serious matters. When choosing an insurance provider take into consideration whether the travel costs for medical evacuation are covered. The closest medical centres which provide excellent treatment are in Frankfurt and Istanbul.
A lot of companies in Kazakhstan have arrangements with certain medical clinics across the city where employees receive free treatment. If this is the case, make sure you check what treatment is covered by this arrangement and whether it’s worth taking out extra health insurance as well. While the medical facilities in the cities are of a fairly good standard, in rural areas it is likely to be far worse than what you’re used to, so in this instance it’s is definitely worth taking out insurance that will cover you to be treated in the cities and reimburse your transportation costs too.