A second medical opinion: it's your right and how to ask for it

A second medical opinion is a right expressly provided by law: Article 11 of Law no. 46/2003 (the patient rights law) says that “the patient has the right to ask for and obtain another medical opinion”. In other words, you can go to another doctor for a further assessment of your diagnosis or treatment — without asking the first doctor’s permission and without justifying why. You also have the right to take your results and file with you, so the new doctor can start from the same data.

Below you’ll find when it’s worth it, how to ask, and what happens with reimbursement.

What a “second opinion” means and when it’s worth it

A second opinion means that another doctor, usually also a specialist, reassesses your situation: confirms or refines the diagnosis, possibly proposes a different treatment, or reassures you that the first recommendation is correct.

It’s especially worth it:

• before surgery or an invasive procedure;
• for a serious diagnosis (oncological, neurological, etc.) or an uncertain one;
• when treatment isn’t working after a reasonable amount of time;
• when you’re offered very different options and don’t know which to choose;
• when you’re simply not convinced and want more certainty.

It’s a right — you don’t need anyone’s consent

You don’t have to ask permission and you don’t have to justify. The law gives you the right to another opinion, full stop. The first doctor cannot stop you and cannot deny you access to your own medical documents.

Don’t confuse a second opinion with changing your medic de familie (family doctor) — they’re different things. For a second opinion you don’t need to give up your doctor; you’re just asking for one more assessment, usually from a specialist.

How to ask, step by step

1. Gather your documents: discharge notes, the observation chart (or a copy), test results, imaging (CD/DVD with MRI/CT), medical letters, prescriptions.
2. Choose the doctor from whom you want a second opinion. You can search by specialty; see the list of medical specialties or find a doctor.
3. Book a consultation and say from the start that you want a second opinion on an existing case.
4. Present all the data — the more information they have, the better the assessment.
5. Compare the two opinions. If they differ a lot, you can discuss it openly with both doctors or even ask for a third opinion.

Take your results and file with you

For it to be useful, the new doctor needs to see the same data. You have the right:

• to access your personal medical data (Art. 24 of Law 46/2003);
• to a written summary at discharge (Art. 12);
• to a copy of the observation chart and results, upon request.

Ask for the copies in advance — see the guide on copying your medical file. For imaging, ask for the CD/DVD with the images, not just the written report.

Does CAS cover a second opinion?

Here the nuance matters. There is no separate procedure called a “second opinion” in the CAS (national health insurance) system. However, a consultation with another specialist is covered if you have a valid bilet de trimitere (referral) — which your family doctor or another doctor can issue. In practice, you can get a new referral and present yourself to another specialist who is under contract with the Insurance House.

Keep in mind:

• at a provider under contract with CAS, with a valid referral, the consultation is covered;
• at a private provider without a contract or without a referral, you pay for the consultation;
• reimbursement rules and the list of services change periodically — check on cnas.ro or on casan.ro (CAS Cluj).

Don’t be afraid of “upsetting” the doctor

Many patients hesitate for fear of offending the first doctor. A second opinion is normal medical practice and a right, especially before important decisions. A fair doctor will understand it — and if a doctor gets upset that you want a confirmation, that’s all the more reason to ask for one.

What to do if the opinions differ

It’s natural for two doctors to see things slightly differently. If the two opinions contradict each other:

• ask each doctor for the arguments they base it on — investigations, treatment guidelines, experience with similar cases;
• ask what risks and benefits each proposed option has and what happens if you delay the decision;
• if the difference remains large for an important decision, you can ask for a third opinion or for the case to be discussed by a specialty board.

The goal is not to “be right”, but to make an informed decision about your own health, with all the data on the table.

Key takeaways

• A second opinion is guaranteed by law (Art. 11, Law 46/2003).
• You do not justify the request and you do not need the first doctor’s consent.
• Take your file and results to bring to another doctor.
• With a valid referral, a consultation with another specialist can be covered by CAS — check on cnas.ro.

Sources

• Law no. 46/2003 on patient rights (Art. 11 — the right to another medical opinion; Art. 12 and 24 — summary at discharge and access to data)
• Order of the Ministry of Health no. 1410/2016 — the rules for applying the Patient Rights Law no. 46/2003
• CNAS (the national health insurance house) — cnas.ro; Cluj Health Insurance House — casan.ro (reimbursement rules and referral)