Swiss tourists' Alanya emergency bill sparks CİMER complaint

Swiss residents Fatma Dilek Kırkbunar and Morena Marie Opprecht became ill while on holiday in Alanya on 29 July. They were treated at the emergency department of Başkent University Alanya Application and Research Center, receiving examination, serum therapy, routine blood tests and medication before being discharged the same night.

The hospital issued separate invoices of €646.72 each (about 35,500 TL), totalling €1,293 (≈ 71,000 TL). The patients argued the charges were excessive and first appealed to the hospital management, which said the pricing was normal. They then lodged complaints with Turkey’s Ministry of Health and the Presidential Communication Center (CİMER). The hospital later explained that fees are calculated using the Turkish Medical Association’s Hekimlik Uygulama Veri (HUV) tariff, multiplied by the regional coefficient and a 10 % VAT, with possible increases for higher‑technology equipment or specialist services.

The case has drawn public attention to the cost of emergency medical care for foreign visitors in Turkey.