Healthcare in Malta for retirees
Healthcare in Malta for a retiree on the Global Residence Programme starts with private insurance that covers all risks Maltese nationals are covered for, across the EU.
The hospitals retirees use, what insurance does and does not cover. Checked against official and hospital sources on Oct 8, 2026.
- Life expectancy
- 83 years US 78.9. World Bank, 2024
- Doctors
- 4.5 per 1,000 US 3.7. World Bank, 2022
- Health spending
- $3,623/person Per year; US $13,473. World Bank, 2023
- Paid out of pocket
- 30.9% Of all health spending; US 10.9%. World Bank, 2023
Hospitals retirees use in Malta
Sliema
Saint James Capua Hospital
- Largest hospital of the Saint James group
- 74 inpatient beds and 4 operating theatres
- Emergency department open 24 hours a day
Saint James Hospital. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Żejtun
Saint James Hospital Żejtun
- 25 inpatient beds and 3 operating theatres
- Emergency rooms open 24 hours a day
- Radiology, endoscopy and maternity services
Saint James Hospital. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Every residence programme for retirees in Malta asks you to hold sickness insurance that covers, for you and your dependants, all the risks normally covered for Maltese nationals, across the whole of the EU. You show a comprehensive health insurance policy when you apply for the residence permit and again at each renewal, and the tax status ends if the cover lapses.
Paying for care in Malta
30.9% of health spending in Malta is paid directly by patients, about 3 times the US share, so plan how you will pay before you move.
Retirees use either an international health plan, which can also cover care at home and in other countries, or a local plan from an insurer in Malta, which costs less but covers care there only. Prices depend on age and on the insurer's terms for existing conditions; compare written quotes.
If you are on Medicare
Medicare usually does not pay for care outside the United States; the exceptions are narrow, such as a foreign hospital closer to your US home than the nearest US hospital.
Medicare.gov. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Healthcare questions
Does Medicare cover me in Malta?
Medicare usually does not pay for care outside the United States; the exceptions are narrow, such as a foreign hospital closer to your US home than the nearest US hospital. Plan on private insurance or paying directly for care in Malta.
Do I need health insurance for the Global Residence visa?
The Global Residence Programme needs sickness insurance covering, for you and every dependant, all risks across the EU that are normally covered for Maltese nationals, kept for as long as you hold the status. Saint James Hospital says it is recognised by every major health insurer, and the insurer usually settles the bill with the hospital directly.
How much of the bill do people pay themselves?
In Malta, 30.9% of all health spending is paid out of pocket, against 10.9% in the US (World Bank, 2023).
Do I need health insurance to retire in Malta?
Yes. The Global Residence Programme and the Malta Retirement Programme both require sickness insurance covering all risks normally covered for Maltese nationals, across the EU, for you and your dependants. Identità asks for the policy at the first application and at each renewal.
Which private hospitals have an emergency room in Malta?
Saint James Capua Hospital in Sliema, with 74 beds, and Saint James Hospital near Żejtun in the south, with 25 beds, both run emergency rooms open 24 hours a day.
