A Brief Look at Healthcare In Portugal for Expats

Healthcare in Portugal: What Expats Need to Know

Moving to a new country means figuring out how everything works, and healthcare is usually one of the biggest questions. It’s also one of the things I get asked about most when people are thinking about moving to Portugal. The good news is that Portugal has a solid public healthcare system. Once you’re legally residing in Portugal, you’ll register with the SNS to access public healthcare (here’s how we tackled our visa process.) At the same time, private health insurance is still required for expats, so most people end up using a mix of both. Continue reading for a brief look at healthcare in Portugal for expats.

There are several private insurance companies to choose from, and we picked the one that made the most sense for our needs. We also use the same provider for our pet insurance and car insurance, which makes life a lot easier since everything is managed in one place.

My Experience Using Private Healthcare in Portugal

To give a real-world example of how healthcare works here, I wanted to share a recent experience I had using the private system in Portugal.

I had been to the doctor a few times for different things since moving to Portugal, but mostly for minor things. A few months ago, I started noticing shoulder pain that kept getting worse, especially while lifting weights. Once it began interfering with my workouts, I booked an appointment at a private clinic. Even though I have access to the public system, it’s much easier to get an appointment privately, and with a €16 copay per visit, it was well worth it.

Seeing the Doctor

I have visited this doctor before, and he’s great. He speaks perfect English and is always very helpful. I told him about my shoulder pain, and he examined it. He sent me for an ultrasound to check if anything was torn or anything. He also gave me a prescription for the pain. I went for the ultrasound about a month later, but that was my fault because I kept procrastinating on booking the appointment. Once I finally scheduled it, they took me a couple of days later. The ultrasound cost me €55. Some insurance plans allow you to submit receipts for reimbursement, but mine does not. I got the results about a week later and scheduled a follow-up with my doctor to go over them. There was nothing seriously wrong, thankfully.

Physiotherapy

The doctor prescribed physiotherapy. He gave me 2 prescriptions for 10 visits each and left it up to me to decide if I would need the full 20.

I scheduled my physiotherapy for next week to start my first 10 appointments. All 10 were scheduled right away, and she accommodated my schedule. The visits are €220 if you pay for the group of 10. Or you can do 1 at a time for a higher price. I started with 10 visits and felt considerably better, but I decided to do the additional 10 to make sure it was completely healed. Again, you can submit your invoices to your insurance if it’s allowed to bring that price down. I originally thought I would be able to do that, and found out after that my plan didn’t allow that, so unfortunately, I did pay completely out of pocket for the physio. I probably could have found a physio who accepted my insurance if I had realized that.

Medications Cost

My medications were about €15 for 2 different medications, pain and muscle relaxers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Healthcare in Portugal

Can expats access public healthcare in Portugal?
Yes. Once you have a residency visa and register with your local health center through the SNS, you can access subsidized healthcare just like Portuguese residents.

Do expats still need health insurance?
Private health insurance is often required for visa applications and is widely used by expats because it offers faster access to appointments and specialists.

How much does a doctor visit cost?
Public healthcare visits usually involve small co-payments for residents. Many expats choose private clinics for convenience, especially when appointments are quicker, and insurance keeps costs reasonable. I pay 16-19€ for an in-network provider.

Wrapping Up My Healthcare Experience in Portugal

Overall, the entire process has been easy and refreshingly stress-free. There are no long wait times for appointments, no confusing provider networks, and no shockingly high fees. From everything I have experienced so far, the healthcare system in Portugal feels far more accessible and efficient than what I dealt with in the United States.

My private insurance here offers great coverage, and I pay significantly less each month than I did through my employer in Las Vegas. In Portugal, we pay about €50 per month for both of us. In Vegas, I paid $19 per paycheck for just myself, and most things still were not covered and came with a high deductible. Here, there is no deductible, just a waiting period for certain services. I will have paid around €522 out of pocket for this situation, which is considerably less than I would have paid in America, even with insurance.

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