# HealthCare in Portugal



## DavefromNice

I am a retired expat USA citizen living in Nice, France. My wife and I are considering a move to Portugal. Here in France we have had excellent health care as long term visa holders. 

We have basic French health care, which is free, and pay about 300 Euros a month for the two of us for a supplemental health insurance.

Can you tell me about health care in Lisbon for expats in Portugal on long term visas? Here in France I have had MRIs and PET scans right away when I have needed them. Is there a long wait in Lisbon for such procedures? 

An evaluation of Lisbon health care would be much appreciated!


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## advolex

*Healthcare In PT*



DavefromNice said:


> I am a retired expat USA citizen living in Nice, France. My wife and I are considering a move to Portugal. Here in France we have had excellent health care as long term visa holders.
> 
> We have basic French health care, which is free, and pay about 300 Euros a month for the two of us for a supplemental health insurance.
> 
> Can you tell me about health care in Lisbon for expats in Portugal on long term visas? Here in France I have had MRIs and PET scans right away when I have needed them. Is there a long wait in Lisbon for such procedures?
> 
> An evaluation of Lisbon health care would be much appreciated!


There are some threads here where health care in particular regions of Portugal are discussed. My impression from them was that the Algarve region probably was the worst, with long waiting times in overfilled public hospitals. But public health care were very much better in other parts of Portugal. It was a while since I last checked these threads so things may have improved. Since then I have found that where I am, in the north, public and private health care is equally good from a medical standpoint as in other western parts of the European Union, although private care often comes with shorter waiting. Access to public care requires you to be registered with the Portuguese national health care system, which would require that you have an income to cover your contributions to the social security system.

You might find a language barrier in the public health care if you don't speak Portuguese, but they would then try to find an interpreter. They would surely find some English speaker, especially among the younger staff. So you might be better off to bring someone who speaks the local language. In private health care you wouldn't expect any problems with the language, provided that you speak English.

There is hardly any cost in the public health care, and costs in the private sector correspond roughly with the charges in northern Europe for equivalent health care from the public sector.

You might find better and more specific info than from me in other resources, in particular about the situation in the Lisbon area, by searching online, like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Portugal


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## DavefromNice

Thank you for the quick reply on the evaluation of the Portuguese health care system. I look forward to more information about expat’s experiences with the health care in Lisbon.


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## mjborges

Hello Dave, I believe you will find this piece interesting: "How We Save Thousands Every Year by Living in Portugal", published at internationalliving.com.


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## DavefromNice

Thank you so much for the reply!


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## Zola

As a born in the USA American, you will PROBABLY NOT qualify for Portuguese health coverage - you didn't pay into an EU government system to qualify.
I pay 700 euros a year for health and accident insurance via Millennium Bank. It was not easy to find, being over 65. Regular doctor visits via CUF is 35 euros. With insurance, 17 euros until, like recently, I used up my coverage - and it doesn't renew for a few months. 

Private doctors, in private practice charge much more. 

Be wary of what you read on International Living. The publications paint a rosy picture for sales, not for real communication. IMHO.


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