# health insurance



## Happy Dutch (May 26, 2017)

We plan to move to the Algarve in September.
We are not working anymore and in 3 years we will be retired.

Is there a possibility to join the national health care in Portugal and pay for it?
We don't like private health insurance. It is expensive and when we are a couple of months outside Portugal we are not well covered.

Any chance to pay for the national health care?
Thanks!


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## Happy Dutch (May 26, 2017)

Nobody?


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Assuming you have Dutch or other EU country passport you're entitled to reside in Portugal so once you have your initial 5 year residencia you're entitled to the same more or less free Portuguese national health care as any other Portuguese person. 

Until you have your residencia you need to either pay for your care or have insurance or have the equivalent of the UK EHIC card from the European country you're currently residing in.


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## Happy Dutch (May 26, 2017)

Thanks!

Yes we are Dutch. How long does it take to receive the 5 year residentia? We plan to buy a house/apartment and as of that day we plan to stay in Portugal and ask for residentia.

Will this take only a couple of months and only during these months we need a private insurance and then can join the Portugese National Health Insurance!


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Happy Dutch said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Yes we are Dutch. How long does it take to receive the 5 year residentia? We plan to buy a house/apartment and as of that day we plan to stay in Portugal and ask for residentia.
> 
> Will this take only a couple of months and only during these months we need a private insurance and then can join the Portugese National Health Insurance!


In theory (IIRC) you're not supposed to obtain it before you've been here 3 months but before the end of the 4th month but some Camaras will issue the residencia before the 3 months. 

cost is something like €25 per person & it usually takes about 20-30 minutes. 

You do however need to obtain your fiscal number first & that takes a similar time & cost is about €10 or €15 per person. 

Portugal tends to suffer from variable bureaucracy and it has been known for some areas (Penela being one example) to sometimes ask you to prove you have the money to support yourself but they are not supposed to & if they do, you need to ask them to show you that requirement in writing.


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## Happy Dutch (May 26, 2017)

This is excellent news!

We (57 / 60 years old) will take a private health insurance for a couple of months up to 1 year. We were thinking of Medis. 
As soon as possible, we will join the national health insurance. With the European Health Card we are covered for big problems (heart-attack or .....) when we are in another EU-country. 

Any other suggestions than Medis Insurance?


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

there's an expat association called afpop here that you could google & they sometimes have good deals but you could also look at the targeted ads on this site to see what you can find there.


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## rubytwo (Jun 22, 2015)

Happy Dutch;12569210.
Any other suggestions than Medis Insurance?[/QUOTE said:


> We went with Multicare. They came recommended by other forum members. We haven't had to use them yet so can't speak for their service.
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> https://www.multicare.pt/PT/particulares/Paginas/default.aspx


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## Happy Dutch (May 26, 2017)

Thanks Rubytwo. We had 2 quotes in February. One of Medis and one of Multicare. Medis was a bit less expensive in our case.

We plan to emigrate between october and december. We will need a private insurance but as soon as possible we try to join the National Health care in Portugal.
We have a reason for that:
When joining the National Health Care, we will be able to receive the EHIC card to be covered in the EU for necessary treatment outside Portugal. We keep a house in France and will be 4/5 months a year in France. When I get a heart attack or break a leg I would like to be able to use the EHIC card. We know the EHIC card is not meant for planned treatment.

The international or EU cover of Medis is really too limited!


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## rubytwo (Jun 22, 2015)

Happy Dutch said:


> When joining the National Health Care, we will be able to receive the EHIC card to be covered in the EU for necessary treatment outside Portugal.


What is the EHIC card? Is it available to everyone once they are granted access to the national health system? We haven't applied yet. My spouse is an EU citizen but I am not


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

rubytwo said:


> What is the EHIC card? Is it available to everyone once they are granted access to the national health system? We haven't applied yet. My spouse is an EU citizen but I am not


The EHIC card comes from the EU country you're actually resident in & covers you for health treatment in the other EU countries you're not resident in & I believe the charges are then billed back to the country you are resident in. 

If that makes sense! lol


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## Happy Dutch (May 26, 2017)

EHIC = European Health Insurance Card 

This is based on EU-law, to enable people to travel within the EU.

Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will enable you to access state-provided healthcare at a reduced cost, or sometimes for free. It will cover you for treatment needed to allow you to continue your stay until your planned return.
It also covers you for treatment of pre-existing medical conditions and for routine maternity care, provided the reason for your visit is not specifically to give birth.

You need to ask for this card (free of charge). They won't give it to you automatically. Normally valid during 2 years. Then you ask a new one.

Hope this helps.


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