# Private health insurance for Portugal



## Heyo (Feb 3, 2018)

Hello all, I am moving to Portugal this spring. As part of the visa process, I need to get private health insurance before I move there. Then once I get my residency permit I can either keep the private health insurance or transition to the national health insurance.

I'm looking around at health insurance plans from Cigna and Aetna and I'm a bit confused as to how these plans work.

Regardless of who I go with, do private health insurance plans for Portugal allow you to see a GP/family doctor if you get sick or if you need regular prescription medications? I understand the plans cover things like major illness, injury, and hospitalizations–but I'm confused as if they actually allow you to register with a local GP/family doctor.

Does anyone know? And if so, how does it work? do they give you a list of doctors in Lisbon that take their healthcare coverage and you just pick one (like how private healthcare works in the USA)?

Does anyone have any suggestions about which private healthcare company to go with?


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## Heyo (Feb 3, 2018)

Anyone? Really stuck for answers. Any help is a godsend...


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I'd guess each policy is different & you might consider Googling 'AFPOP' which is the ex pat association........ Join them & then ask their advice.


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## grammymissy (Jun 21, 2009)

Heyo said:


> Hello all, I am moving to Portugal this spring. As part of the visa process, I need to get private health insurance before I move there. Then once I get my residency permit I can either keep the private health insurance or transition to the national health insurance.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




We have Multicare.pt health insurance, we have had for 3 years and are very pleased with their service. We are registered with our local health center and can see the doctor there, but we do not. We use a private health center, where we have access not only to doctors but also they have a dental office, very similar to USA, if you go to a office in the network, the insurance pays direct, outside of network, you pay and they reimburse you. Check the coverage area for the insurance you are buying, Multicare.pt is the biggest, similar to big blue, but the others can also have great coverage, depending on the areas your moving to. Very similar to the USA health insurance plans. Also, we have dental and eye included in our plan, but there are medical only plans available. Hope this helps. 


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