Heart surgery in Morocco: how much it costs and how the CNSS covers it

"How much does heart surgery cost?" "Does the CNSS reimburse it?" "Do we have to pay upfront?" After the diagnosis, these are often the families' first questions, even before questions about the operation. They are legitimate: heart surgery is a major expense, and worry about the cost should never delay a medical decision.

How much does heart surgery cost in Morocco?

At the clinic in Tangier where Dr Mohamed el Amine Tber operates, heart surgery generally costs between 70,000 and 150,000 MAD. The range is wide because there is not one heart operation but several, which do not involve the same equipment or the same length of hospital stay.

The exact amount can only be given after your file has been reviewed: the surgeon must first confirm that the operation is needed, choose the technique and estimate the length of stay.

What makes the price vary

• The type of operation: a coronary bypass, a valve replacement or repair, and surgery on the aorta or carotid artery do not cost the same.
• The implanted equipment: a mechanical or biological valve, an aortic prosthesis, the number of grafts in a bypass.
• The length of stay in intensive care and then on the ward, which depends on your condition before the operation and on your recovery.
• Whether the operation is planned or urgent.

What does the CNSS cover?

For CNSS members under compulsory health insurance (AMO), heart surgery is one of the long-term and costly conditions. The CNSS's official list places it among the conditions covered at 100%, whether for coronary disease, a valve damaged by rheumatic fever or a heart malformation.

At the clinic where Dr Tber operates, which has an agreement with the CNSS, the operation is therefore fully covered for members once the coverage approval has been obtained. The clinic is paid directly by the fund: you do not pay for the operation upfront.

The paperwork before the operation

1. The surgeon writes a medical report justifying the operation.
2. The tests confirming the diagnosis are added to the file: heart ultrasound, coronary angiography or CT scan, depending on the case.
3. The clinic submits the coverage approval request to the CNSS.
4. Once the approval is received, the date of the operation is set.

The practice supports you at every step so that the file is complete the first time: that is what most often avoids delays.

What if you are not insured with the CNSS?

Other schemes, such as the CNOPS, private insurers and mutual funds, have their own reimbursement rules and ceilings. Bring your card and your policy to the consultation: the practice helps you check what is covered and what, if anything, remains for you to pay, before any decision.

If you are coming from another city

You can have your operation in Tangier coming from any city in Morocco, and you do not have to travel for a first opinion. A teleconsultation lets the surgeon read your tests, tell you whether an operation is needed and prepare the coverage file remotely.

You only come to Tangier for the consultation before the operation and for the operation itself. Follow-up can then continue with your cardiologist, close to home.

Key points

Heart surgery costs between 70,000 and 150,000 MAD depending on the operation, and for CNSS members it is covered at 100% after prior approval. Cost should never be the reason to delay a necessary operation: ask the question at the very first consultation, and the practice will give you a clear answer.

Frequently asked questions