# healthcare in portugal



## doss (Nov 26, 2009)

we have considered moving to portugal for four years now, but my wifes health has deteriorated. She has bowel cancer which is in remission but could return at anytime.she is an OAP now and we wonder if she would be eligible for treatment in portugal if we made the bold move to reside there. Hope someone can help us with this question as we both love portugal but my wifes health must come first.


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## silvers (Sep 22, 2008)

Dear Doss,
I am very sorry to hear about your recent troubles however I have some, hopefully good news for you. Under a joint EU agreement, British pensioners are entitled to the same healthcare here as they would get back in Britain. I hope this answers your question.
James


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## John999 (Jul 6, 2009)

Hi doss
Welcome to the forum, I am sorry about your situation, Portugal has some decent Hospitals, I have a friend who has, just, been operated to long cancer at the new wing of Polido Valente Hospital in Lisbon. I have to say that I was impressed with the quality of their service, so I believe you should be ok if you decide to make the move. If you do, you will become a resident, and that gives you the same rights as everybody else. Until then, your SP11 card is all you need
John999


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## doss (Nov 26, 2009)

Thanks for the reply and concern, do you know if the follow up care, eg chemotherapy is as good as in the uk? Thanks.


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## santaanita (Jan 16, 2008)

doss said:


> Thanks for the reply and concern, do you know if the follow up care, eg chemotherapy is as good as in the uk? Thanks.


hi,i would check out this somemore,my wife is pensionable age and we are resident here but you do have to pay for every hospital visit and treatment just as the portuguese do,we have had various visits and tests carried out and have had to pay.the service and treatment is good but they do not have a NHS as you new it in UK.


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## John999 (Jul 6, 2009)

The service is excellent, but you pay for everything. Nothing is free over here; you do have to pay even for prescriptions. Be awhere of that
John999


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## Paulo in Porto (Dec 3, 2009)

As far as I know,in Portugal there is the public health system which is available to every national; and then there is the private in order to get fast service. The public hospitals in Porto (Hospital de São João, and Hospital de St. António) are known to be of the best around when it comes to cancer treatment. If you decide to move to the Porto area I would be happy to help you find a place to stay.


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## John999 (Jul 6, 2009)

Hi Paulo in Porto
You need to do some homework about it. The nationals have to pay even for emergency services. If you need an ambulance to take you to hospital, you have to pay to. This forum is supposed to help people to move in, not to just try to make a business with false advertisement. Regarding Porto hospitals, it seems that lately they had a few medical mistakes problems, the last one with one of the premiership managers, where they nearly killed him, and they still not sure if is going to survive. 
John999


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## Paulo in Porto (Dec 3, 2009)

Didn't mean to offend anyone John. I'm no expert in the matter but it's not exactly how you make it sound either. The nationals that use the public system do have to pay a symbolic fee (some are still exempt) which was introduced to prevent some from abusing the system; like going to see the doctor for minor ailments like a common cold. As far as the football manager goes he went to do something which nobody yet knows exactly, and that was in a private clinic.


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## John999 (Jul 6, 2009)

Liposuction Paulo that is what he had done, another lady died “around” the same time in another Porto clinic. I am not saying that there isn´t excellent doctors in Porto. Of course there are, but top places regarding cancer are Coimbra and then Lisbon. Regarding medical fees, yes a few are exempt, (people who is considered to have a really low, or none, income, age doesn´t matter). Generally everything has to be payee. Doctor’s appointments, exams, prescriptions, etch. Senior or not. Private care is faster but a lot more expensive. Not everybody can afford it. When you became a resident, you do have the same rights and duties as everybody else Santaanita. It is only faire. We can´t expect to be treated differently than the Portuguese people only because we are foreigners. Health care is one of many things we need to think about it, when moving abroad. 
John999


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## silvers (Sep 22, 2008)

A friend of ours, British, had to be rushed to hospital in an ambulance. He then spent the next 12 weeks in hospital in Lisboa and Peniche, total cost? 220 euros.


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