Making the Medical Transition Abroad: Health, Medication, and Care in Eastern Europe

When you relocate, you don’t just pack boxes. You carry your body, your routines, and the steady rituals of care that keep you grounded. Medicines and therapy sessions may not seem as visible as furniture or heirlooms, but they are part of your hearth — the daily warmth that makes a place livable.

Moving to Eastern Europe can raise questions: Will I find my medication there? What if I get sick before I’m registered in the system? Will therapy still be an option? These worries are normal. The good news is that with preparation, you can step into your new home without letting your health flame flicker out.

Gathering What You Need Before You Go

Think of this stage as stacking firewood. Ask your doctor for as long a refill as possible — three months, sometimes even six — and request written prescriptions that list the generic drug names. Brand names often shift across borders, but the active ingredient remains constant.

Collect your medical records too: summaries of conditions, prescriptions, allergies, lab results. Keep them both digitally and on paper. If you can, translate the most important pieces into your new country’s language. When you place these in a new doctor’s hands, you’re offering them the story of your care — a fire already lit.

Researching What Awaits You

Healthcare in Eastern Europe is not one uniform system. In most places, you’ll find a shared public system that becomes available once you have residency and make insurance contributions, and a parallel private system where you can pay out of pocket and be seen quickly. In the first few months, before paperwork is finalized, most newcomers lean on the private system.

But not everything may be available everywhere. Some medications common in the U.S. are rare or restricted. Mental health services, especially in English, may be scarce outside major cities. And national insurance often doesn’t cover dental, vision, or certain therapies.

This is why research matters before you leave. Search for your medications in the local language. Reach out to private clinics and ask if they carry your prescriptions. Look up therapy options in your destination city. And, importantly, talk with your therapist at home before the move. Many will continue care virtually across borders, giving you stability in a season of change.

Bridging the Gaps

There will be a gap between the old system and the new — a draft under the door. You can soften it by bringing extra medication, keeping travel or expat insurance active, and budgeting for a few private clinic visits. If your medication isn’t available, explore alternatives in advance with your current doctor, or look into pharmacies that can special-order or import what you need.

For mental health, if you can’t find local care right away, lean on continuity. Stay connected to your current therapist online or through telehealth platforms until you build a local network. The ember doesn’t have to go out just because you’ve crossed a border.

Planting New Roots of Care

Once you arrive, don’t wait until something goes wrong. Make an appointment with a local family doctor even if you feel fine. This gives you a place in the system and a contact you can turn to in an emergency. Ask for recommendations to specialists if you know you’ll need them, or simply begin to build a relationship of trust. This is one area that could have been smoother for me personally, had I established care prior to getting sick. When I got a UTI, it was overwhelming to figure out accessing a medical system in a language I didn't understand, when I really didn't feel well.

Step by step, proactively find the rhythm of care in your new country — where to refill prescriptions, who to call if you feel unwell, what therapies are available.

Establishing your Hearth

Health is one of the quietest but most important embers you carry across borders. With foresight, a few extra supplies, and an openness to both continuity and adaptation, you can keep that hearth glowing as you settle into a new life in Eastern Europe. What begins as uncertainty can transform into a deep relief: care that is often more affordable, sometimes more personal, and always part of building home.

Resources & Further Help

• Online Therapy: BetterHelp, Talkspace, Psychology Today Directory (filter by “online” and location)

• Private Expat Insurance: Cigna Global, Allianz Care, SafetyWing

• Medication Mailing / Refill Services: PharmaExpressRx or region-specific forwarding (check customs rules)

• Special-Order Pharmacies: Private chains like BENU (Romania) and Dr. Max (Central Europe) can order medications not normally stocked.