If you need to seek medical attention in Bali, then you have to understand how health and medical care are managed on the island.
The public hospitals in Bali are not, yet, at the same standards as those in a first-world country and the private hospitals and medical clinics are generally much better regarded.
However, wherever you go you will need to meet your own medical expenses and even if you have travel insurance or health insurance, you may need to pay out of your own pocket before you receive any medical services.
Our guide to healthcare in Bali will help you navigate the path to medical care that meets your needs.
The Basics Of Healthcare In Bali
The healthcare system in Bali is very much adequate to most people’s needs and there is a growing medical tourism industry on the island.
However, it’s worth noting that medical costs here are often higher than they are elsewhere in Southeast Asia and that overall, the standards of healthcare services are not up to the levels of most Western nations.
The Emergency Services
If you have a medical emergency you can get ambulance services by dialing 118 or 119 on a local phone.
If you’re using an overseas line, then you can dial +62 118 or +62 119. You should know that this service will be charged to the patient.
Given the traffic in Bali, it can sometimes be easier and much cheaper to get in a taxi than to call an ambulance. However, if someone is seriously injured or unable to move, an ambulance is often the only realistic option.
You can also arrange an air ambulance for medical evacuation from Bali but be warned, this high-quality medical care comes at a high cost.
If you don’t have some form of travel insurance or medical insurance, you are going to need a lot of money just to move someone from Bali to Australia and it will cost even more to get someone’s basic health needs met on a long medi-evac to places further away.
Medicine And Pharmacies On The Island
There are pharmacies on nearly every street in Bali and it’s worth noting that many of them can offer home delivery services if you don’t want to go to the pharmacy.
You will find that most pharmacies are happy to sell almost any medication over the counter and that you may not need a prescription even if you take prescription medication at home.
However, there are some medicines you won’t find here at all, including Adderrall the popular ADHD drug which is a controlled substance in Indonesia. The extremely strict laws surrounding these drugs can lead to the death sentence for possessing them.
There are also other things to watch for, particularly when it comes to dosages – things like paracetamol tablets are often far stronger here than the ones you’re used to.
Make sure to read the packaging and follow the dosage guidelines carefully when buying medicines here.
We’d also recommend that you have all the necessary vaccinations at home before you travel to Bali as vaccinations on the island can be very expensive, with a Tetanus jab costing $300 USD ($450 AUD) and a course of Rabies vaccinations reaching $2,000 USD ($3,000 AUD)!
Medical Services
There is a full range of medical services in Bali and these include.
Hospitals In Bali
Private Hospitals
The majority of visitors will utilize the private hospitals in Bali. These include Siloam Hospital (in Denpasar), Bali Med Hospital (Denpasar) and BIMC Hospital (Nusa Dua).
You can book an appointment online with these hospitals or just walk in and ask to be treated. Each location offers specialist treatment as well as emergency treatment and they are considered to be international hospitals with good levels of English spoken.
However, they are also quite expensive for Bali and a simple consultation will cost around 300,000 IDR ($20 USD or $30 AUD) with all medicines, treatments, etc. on top.
When you see a registered medical practitioner in these places, you will be given an estimate of the total cost of treatment before any treatment takes place.
You are expected to make a deposit of this cost or provide health or travel insurance to the value of the potential claim before treatment begins.
If you feel that you don’t want the treatment or can’t pay for the treatment, it’s perfectly OK just to pay for the consultation and leave the hospital.
Public Hospitals
There are also public hospitals on the island such Kasih Ibu Hospital in Denpasar, Prima Medika Hospital and Bali Royal Hospital.
If you have health insurance you will not normally visit these hospitals as the private hospitals will be better suited to your needs and they will also accept payments for expats in Bali through the National Health Insurance Scheme (BJPS) which is usually funded by deductions from your salary.
However, if you need urgent treatment and are willing to endure sometimes questionable sanitation to get your medical issues resolved, then these hospitals are lower cost than the modern facilities of the private practices.
Be warned though, there is a huge demand for these hospitals particularly during outbreaks of dengue fever or global health warnings from the World Health Organisation (WHO) such as the recent Covid outbreaks.
Clinics In Bali
If you just need GP services, you don’t need to visit a hospital at all. There are clinics throughout the island with GPs and many of them offer home visits (for an additional fee) if you’re too ill to travel to the surgery.
Bali Med Hospital has plenty of satellite clinics, their services are usually available in English and a consultation is not expensive (roughly 200,000 IDR for an in-clinic consultation) with treatment and medicines on top.
If you need a doctors note for work, they can provide one and they will be happy to supply any details you need for an insurance claim too.
However, if they decide you need a surgical procedure they may have to refer you to a hospital and may even need to arrange emergency medical evacuation if the problem is serious.
Dental Care In Bali
You will find that there are dentists all over Bali and the majority of private practices here offer up-to-date facilities that can handle the vast majority of dental care procedures.
Better still, the costs are very reasonable when compared to the West and many Australians now choose to have their dentistry carried out in Bali because it’s so much cheaper than it is at home.
The Costs Of Medical Care In Bali
The costs of medical care here are measured on a “how long is a piece of string basis?” They could be as little as 200,000 IDR if you have a cold and visit a GP to be told to take some paracetamol and drink fluids.
They could run into tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars if you have a serious accident or a complex medical condition suddenly turns up.
That’s why you need insurance when you travel to ensure you don’t have to pay for a year’s stay in the international wing of a private hospital out of your own pocket.
Health Insurance In Bali Vs Travel Insurance In Bali
If you’re here on holiday a good travel insurance policy is more than enough to cover you. These policies typically get you patched up enough to get on a plane and go home to seek further treatment.
They’re cheap and are often able to provide extensive coverage but only on a short-term basis.
If you live here or stay for more than a few weeks, you need health insurance. This will ensure that you get treatment for any condition easily and if you need it, for long periods of time.
Alternative Medicine And Natural Healthcare In Bali
If you prefer to use alternative or natural medicine there are a wide range of practitioners throughout the island offering everything from traditional Balinese healing to acupuncture.
FAQs
How Good Is Healthcare In Bali?
In general, Baliinese healthcare is good enough to keep you alive and to handle most common ailments and complaints.
A lot depends, however, on you having insurance as the costs can quickly mount up and there’s nothing sadder than a tourist who’s had an accident on Bali’s roads needing to raise $100,000 or more to get the life saving care that they need.
It’s much better to be safe than sorry and given that travel insurance is often very cheap, it’s foolhardy not to have some.
How Much Does Healthcare Cost In Bali?
It depends on what you need. A doctor’s appointment is cheap with costs from 200,000 IDR (that’s about $15 USD or $20 AUD) but prescriptions, operations, bandages, etc. must all be charged on top and can quickly run into thousands of dollars.
Which Hospital Is Best For Foreigners In Bali?
Most foreigners consider Siloam Hospital or BIMC Hospital to be the best hospitals in Bali. Our experiences with Bali Med Hospital have been very positive too.
How Much Does It Cost To See A Doctor In Bali?
Assuming that you’re talking about a GP, then 200,000 IDR ($15 USD or $20 AUD) is enough to get you a consultation. A specialist’s appointment may run as much as 300,000 IDR ($20 USD or $30 AUD).
Is Indonesian Healthcare Good?
That very much depends on where in Indonesia you are. The best hospitals in Jakarta rival the best anywhere in the world. Bali’s hospitals are pretty good. But if you’re on the island of Run? You’d be lucky to find a pharmacy let alone a clinic.
It pays to research your destinations before you travel in Indonesia, so you can ensure that your healthcare needs are met.
Final Thoughts On Medical Care And The Healthcare System In Bali
If you’ve had too much spicy food or forgot to wear sun protection or have been bitten by stray dogs or wild animals, then you’re going to find it’s very easy to get treatment in Bali.
However, it’s not always at the standard you’re used to at home and things like prescribed medications can be very expensive indeed.
We’d always recommend that you have travel insurance if you’re coming to Bali on holiday and that it covers more than just a bit of Bali Belly.
If you live on the island long-term you should have health insurance as paying for your own treatment can be very expensive indeed.
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