Private medical services affected by the decline in Romanians' purchasing power

Rising living costs and declining purchasing power are making Romanians more cautious, including when it comes to their own health. Private medical consultations, which typically cost between 350 and 500 RON and represent only the starting point for further investigations and additional expenses, are prompting patients either to postpone their visit to the doctor or to seek reimbursed services through a referral.

Several entrepreneurs who own private clinics or run businesses in the medical sector are reporting a drop in patient numbers in 2026 compared to last year. Moreover, those who do visit clinics are increasingly asking whether any services are covered under the contract with the National Health Insurance House.

Răzvan Predica, CEO of Affidea Romania and Greece, spoke about this phenomenon on the ZF Private Health programme: "Inflation has an effect on purchasing power. We are seeing a contraction, particularly in prevention-related services, which will affect us in the future. We are also seeing a decline in patient flow linked to referral tickets, and waiting lists for chronic conditions are growing. We have inflation that translates into costs for all operators. This means we need to set ourselves efficiency targets so we can weather these difficult times."

In practical terms, according to his statements, it is not only access to preventive consultations that is declining, but also the flow of patients arriving with referrals, which is leading to longer waiting lists for people with chronic illnesses. At the same time, inflation is driving up operational costs for all private healthcare providers, who are being forced to seek efficiency solutions in order to cope with this challenging period.