# Retiree Healthcare coverage



## Macroomite (Jan 16, 2016)

I am considering retiring to Portugal and need to know about my Healthcare coverage options as a retired person. 
I have just read this interesting report from Spain: (i) If you are in receipt of a state pension from many European countries then you are entitled to Spanish health care. (ii) Since 1st July 2014, if you have come to live in Spain you must make your own health care arrangements. There are a number of private hospitals in Spain and plenty of insurance options to enable you to pay on a monthly basis for the health care you might need whilst you are here.
With reference to (i): I have an EU passport - Irish. I receive full healthcare through the NHS in the UK as I work in the UK, but I will NOT be eligible for a state old-age pension when I retire. (ii) I would have to self-pay for healthcare if I retired to Spain.

QUESTION: AM I ELIGIBLE FOR HEALTHCARE IF I RETIRE TO PORTUGAL having and EU passport? And exactly how could this occur? 
Your comments will be appreciated.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

My wife & I both have UK passports, both approaching or just hit 60 so no state pension yet & are in receipt of private pensions & we both get the same more or less free health care as any Portuguese person. 

I'm not sure if it's the same with an Irish passport but would suspect it is....... that said, bureaucracy here seems to often vary from area to area & whilst we had no problem getting NHS registration here, I have heard of others, especially in the Algarve & surrounding areas finding it more difficult.


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## Macroomite (Jan 16, 2016)

Thanks for your input. 
Did you apply recently in the past 2-3 years or was this a while back? 
My concern is: are there recent restrictions (for free State health coverage) on folk retiring to Portugal who do NOT benefit from a STATE old-age pension from another European country ... like Spain has instituted recently? 
With my living and working in an EU country (UK) and having state-provided Health cover today, I would not like to discover that in moving to Portugal I would require a private healthplan ... because I do not draw a State old-age pension from another European country.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

We registered about 5 years ago when we were +/- 55 years old & since then we have both had treatment........ and I have ongoing treatment now.

I've got to say it does seem to vary from area to area..... If you do a search here, you'll fine some like me had no trouble registering and others, especially in the coastal zones/Algarve have either been refused or had trouble registering.

It might be worth you visiting whatever area you'd like to live & actually go along to the relevant offices and ask. 

But of course all that said, things might change after Brexit anyway....... I don't think they will but it's not impossible.


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