Healthcare in Guyana: no CAK, no S1, so your own insurance
Guyana is not on the CAK's list of treaty countries. Anyone who moves there therefore keeps no Dutch cover through an S1 form and arranges their own health insurance. If you work as an employee, the NIS reimburses medical expenses when you are ill. The ministry's schemes, such as the GYD 10,000 health voucher, are for Guyanese citizens.
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If you go to live in Guyana, you arrange your health insurance yourself. Guyana is not on the CAK's list of treaty countries. As a result there is no S1 form and no Dutch cover through the scheme for people living abroad, not even if you receive AOW or a pension. The CAK puts it like this: if your country of residence is not listed, take out health insurance there yourself "for yourself and the family members who move with you".
What does exist in Guyana depends on who you are.
| Who | What exists | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone who emigrates | no CAK scheme, no S1; your own policy | CAK, NederlandWereldwijd |
| Employee | NIS: reimbursement of medical expenses when ill (medical care) | NIS |
| Guyanese citizen | health voucher of GYD 10,000 for tests; GYD 600,000 a year for dialysis | Ministry of Health |
| Patient needing care the public system does not offer | financial assistance, on the advice of GPHC doctors | Ministry of Health |
| Anyone taking a private policy | insurers supervised by the Bank of Guyana | Bank of Guyana |
GYD is the Guyanese dollar.
Why does the CAK scheme not apply?
The CAK's scheme is for people who live in a treaty country and receive a Dutch pension or benefit. Those are the countries of the EU and the EEA, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and eight countries beyond, such as Morocco and Turkey. Guyana is not one of them, and neither is Suriname. So there is no treaty contribution, but no cover either.
Your Dutch basic insurance stops when you emigrate. How to cancel it without a gap in cover is in cancelling your health insurance.
What does the NIS do for you?
If you work as an employee in Guyana, you are compulsorily insured with the National Insurance Scheme. This includes Sickness Benefit Medical Care: the NIS reimburses your medical expenses for as long as the care is needed. According to the NIS this medical care is attached to the right to sickness benefit. The NIS covers treatment abroad only if the treatment is not available in Guyana, and then with permission. See working in Guyana.
If you are retired and not working, the NIS does nothing for your healthcare costs.
What does public healthcare offer?
The Ministry of Health runs regional hospitals and health centres in ten regions. The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is the main referral hospital. For care the public sector does not offer, such as a stent, radiation therapy, an MRI or a hip replacement, the ministry gives financial assistance to eligible patients, on the advice of the GPHC doctors.
The newer schemes are for citizens. The health voucher of GYD 10,000, since 15 March 2025, is for "every Guyanese citizen". The dialysis grant of GYD 600,000 a year is too. Whether and what you pay as a foreigner in a public hospital, we could not find at an official source.
What should you look for in a private policy?
Insurers in Guyana are supervised by the Bank of Guyana, under the Insurance Act 2016. The bank publishes the list of registered insurers, with the classes of insurance each may sell. According to the bank's frequently asked questions, an insurer usually asks for identification, proof of address, and your height and weight.
If you or your partner are 50 or older, insurers usually require medical tests according to the Bank of Guyana, such as blood sugar and a lipid profile. Most policies do not cover a condition you already had for a period, and a new policy has a waiting period. Take out the policy before your Dutch insurance stops.
International health insurance, taken out outside Guyana, is the other route. No Guyanese source says anything about it; compare cover, exclusions and the hospitals where the insurer pays directly.
If you take medication with you, read medication across the border. The consequences for your AOW and your taxes are in AOW, pension and tax in Guyana.
In Vertrekklaar this is phase 1 of 5 of the journey, step 1.2: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Guyana or go straight to step 1.2 in the open plan.
What this rests on
The facts in this article come from these official pages. Rules change. When in doubt, go by the source, not this article.
- CAK — the treaty countries; Guyana is not among them — hetcak.nl
- NederlandWereldwijd — health insurance through the CAK, and insuring yourself if the scheme does not apply — nederlandwereldwijd.nl
- National Insurance Scheme — frequently asked questions on medical reimbursement and treatment abroad — nis.org.gy
- National Insurance Scheme — the benefits, including sickness medical care — nis.org.gy
- Ministry of Health — financial assistance for treatment the public sector does not offer, through the GPHC — health.gov.gy
- Ministry of Health — regional health services in ten regions — health.gov.gy
- Ministry of Health — the GYD 10,000 health voucher for Guyanese citizens — health.gov.gy
- Bank of Guyana — frequently asked questions on insurance, with the requirements for a health policy — bankofguyana.org.gy
- Bank of Guyana — the registered insurers and their classes — bankofguyana.org.gy
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