When I first came to Ukraine in early 2016 I bought travel medical insurance which included evacuation in case of a serious medical issue. I continued to buy travel medical insurance until I began flying round trip from Ukraine to the U.S. instead of from the U.S. to Ukraine. A quick side note, a round trip ticket from the U.S. to Ukraine and back is almost double what it costs for the exact same airline and flights if the ticket is from Ukraine to the U.S. and back. To solve that mystery you'd have to understand the airline pricing systems which use mysterious algorithms to set ticket prices to maximize profits.
When I could no longer buy travel insurance and I had my temporary residence permit I decided to go ahead and get minor medical care done here in Ukraine and maintain an insurance policy with a high deductible in the U.S. for any major medical issues. So far, that has worked out well, especially in the last year when medical care is actually somewhat more accessible here than it is in some cities in the U.S. that are overwhelmed with Covid.
My experience so far with medical care here in Ukraine has been positive. My wife is Ukrainian and I have a very good friend who is my doctor here in Ukraine which really helps. Having someone who can help you figure out where the good care happens and help you to navigate the hospital and clinic visits is a must.
My first medical issue was a raging case of the flu that turned into a serious sinus infection. We went to the doctor my father-in-law liked and quickly received a chest x-ray to make sure I didn't have pneumonia. The chest x-ray cost 60 hryvna. The x-ray machine looked like it was from the 1960's but it worked and I didn't have pneumonia. The doctor was professional, competent and very polite. She gave me a prescription for antibiotics which resolved my sinus infection within a few days. All in all, a very positive experience.
My second medical issue was an attempt I made to cut off my thumb while cutting a watermelon. Luckily the cut was not serious but did require stiches. The first place we went turned out to be the orthopedic hospital. They bandaged my thumb and we paid them 100 hryvna which seems to be the customary "gift" for non specialty care. Then we went to another hospital and the first receptionist asked if I was registered to receive medial care. I was not so he told us we had to leave. My wife, who fights like a gladiator asked the other receptionist to help us, which she did. A few minutes later I was in an examination room with a nurse and a surgeon. About 15 minutes after that I walked out with stiches and a prescription for antibiotics. My wife tipped the doctor 200 hryvna for this visit. Again, a very positive experience, except for the first receptionist. The cut healed perfectly and I removed the stiches myself after about a week.
My late father-in-law, had a number of surgeries before he passed away and they all seemed to go well. He had a hearth valve repair and had part of his colon removed. He ultimately died of colon cancer but died with significantly less suffering than my father in the U.S. where they kept him alive for about a year with surgeries and chemotherapy.
Although I have looked at medical insurance here it doesn't seems to make much sense. Insurance companies here are not very well regulated and medical care is not expensive by western standards. The medical care also seems to be much more available if you have the money to pay for it when compared to place like Canada where there is socialized medicine but long waiting periods for care.
There are many horror stories about the medical care here in Ukraine so I think one has to be careful to make sure the doctors have good reputations. That requires some local contacts and a little patience to do some research. That said, good medical care is available in Ukraine at reasonable prices.
