Health care in Portugal

[iananne]

Hi Everybody..........Happy & Healthy New Year to you all.........Just watched a programme on ITV in the UK and basically it was saying that some ex pats living in Spain have been having trouble getting health care
when they become ill.....so could anyone tell me the rule & regs etc for Health care in Portugal ( Algarve ) Thanks for now..............

[SJ & RE]

Hi I too would like info on this matter cos in a way it will affect many/ most of us who wish to spend most/all our time in the future/now in the sunny Algarve?.
Where does one stand who is in receipt of disability and incapacity benefit from the UK, will one be able to get it sent to the Algarve?
If one is able to receive the heating allowance in the Algarve for the retired, from the UK, I presume the above should qualify as well.???
As below in R&B's question, I would like to know if I would still receive my disability & Incapacity benefit out in Portugal and if it would still be UK index linked & go up still each year the same as in the UK.
I am not yet getting the pension cos I still have quite a few years to go b4 I reach that golden age but I do receive the benefits above cos of a motorcycle accident.
All info on this highly important matter of benefits & pensions for a lot of people would be highly welcome. MANY THANKS

[Richard&Babs]

We would appreciate advice also as retiring near CVO in August/September this year - when we will both be at retirement age. Is form E121 needed as we are getting conflicting responses? Also understand state pension can be paid directly into our Portugese bank account, does the amount vary with exchange rates or is it fixed. Any other relevant information appreciated. Thanks. Richard & Babs.

[Avvie]

At the risk of sounding negative, I have been disappointed with what is available. If you have private medical insurance it may be different, or if you speak Portuguese, but if not, then it can leave you feeling very isolated when it comes to health problems. My experience of the "state" doctor is limited having used him only once. Anyone needing a doctor has to arrive on a certain day and time at the Lagoa health centre, (which is being closed down along with the one in Silves), and queue for hours.The doctor I saw had very basic english and could barely understand what was being said. I told him my usual medication and he just wrote out the prescription without doing any checks etc! He didn't appear to keep any records of this and had no computer in his surgery. I read in the local ex-pat press that the hospital in Portimao will be handling the people normally seen at Lagoa and Silves, but that they are cutting their hours!

When I went to see a private doctor, of which there are many, I paid from twenty to one hundred euros depending on the problem and medication required. The doctor once tried to sign me up to one of these "selling" scams! What can I say? Certainly not the standard of health care my family enjoys in the UK.

[Al Garb]

I've not used the system but:

E111 has been replaced by a European Health Insurance card which is obtained in the same way. It is only valid for travellers not residents, so if you become resident in Portugal you need to join the national system.

First you need to obtain a pensioners social security card. You need to go to a social security office with form E121 which can be issued by your pension provider, your passport and residencia card. You then get the Cartao Credencial (Soc Security card). Having got that you can then go to your nearest health centre and apply for your Cartao Utente (Health Card). I've heard of people with it done and dusted in a couple of weeks and someone still waiting after a couple of years (though they were issued with a temporary card)

[tbbr]

From friends in Portugal we have detremined that some form of private insurance is a necessity, all would consider returning to the Uk for any serious forms of treatment.
The local clinics are ok for minor illness but it was a shock last week when the young son of one friendbroke his arm at school, he was taken to two hospitals before eventually having it set WITHOUT any form of pain killer in FARO.
WE should remember how good the NHS really is.

[Ellie]

Ohh tbbr, that sounds mighty painful poor kid
My oldest lad broke his arm at school (greenstick fracture) but was xrayed & had sedative when it was strapped up.
Yes, we should be grateful for NHS. I and my family have always had good treatment..
and something we sometimes forget, the 'private' health system often relies on the NHS, use of theatres,nurses etc..
as well as the other way around

[bifas 1st darling!]

Lagoa health centre, (which is being closed down along with the one in Silves),

They're not closing the health centre, just the S.A.P

[Jaylay]

Thanks for confrming it is only SAP closing, that had been my understanding.
For those you do not know how the Centre Saude works there are Doctors who have regular hours there which you make an appointment with and there is SAP,like a sort of walk in from the street and want to see a Doctor now. Lots of people have been using Sap (including my family) when we have found it easier than waiting for an appointment when it is just something like an earache or sore throat and we need a prescription for medication. (cost only 2 or 3 €) no follow up appointments.
If there is an emergency you can go to SAP at present but there is no XRAY facilites and anything really serious means being taken from there
to Portimao Hospital.

Hope this brief explanation might help

[Jaylay]

An additional point, 3 of us in the family have broken limbs over the years we have been here. All set in Portimao (old hospital and new ) under National Health here, no problems at all, swift service,
My leg was Xrayed, plastered, xrayed again and was home is less than 4 hours. Younger daughter had to have operation to have her arm set( after being taken from school by ambulance) and was kept in for 3 nights, followed by weeks of Physio, all on the National Health.
If you have a Carte Untente, no problem but most foreigners here would not be entitled to have one, either as they do not pay social security here and/or are not resident so private health insurance is a must.

[tbbr]

LIke most 10 year olds our friends son back to normal in no time and went to school on friday only problem can,t play on his playstation ( good thing ).
I had to visit the clinic in Oura for a medical as part of our mortage arrangement, ECG, Chest x ray etc, no problems took a couple of hours.
Whilst there noticed a number of expat/tourist drop ins with colds flu, minor injuries etc.
All dealt with in time ( 60 - 90 mins ) most happy with treatment some complained at having to pay even though they could get it back on insurance.
Staff spoke varying degrees of english, german and dutch.

[bifas 1st darling!]

I spent 3 hours in the E.R yesterday with my son, he's got a very bad chesty cough, fever, vomits and a bad throat. They couldn't have been more helpful, we saw a doctor, had a chest x-ray and because he was sick on the floor they gave him an ice tea which he had to sip a syringe ever 10 mins to make sure he could hold it down and it wasn't anything else. Oh and I got a perscription for a vapor inhaler which was delivered last night to my door. All that for free!

I use my NH doctor (Dr Paulo Simoes) he's very good, but as all NH doctors overworked and under paid. Last year I had chest, spine, thorax and shoulder x-rays, a mamogram, a cat scan and various blood tests. I used my insurance for the exams (+-euro12 each time) instead of waiting weeks for the NH.

I sugest you get a NH doctor so you're "in the system" for those things that can wait, but get health insurance, in case you need the doctor after "office hours". I find both work very well

[iananne]

Thanks everyone for all your replies ........very helpful ....seems a bit of hit & miss to me ! What sort of money are we talking for private health care ?

[steve]

How do you get an NH doctor? Although we have been permanent residents here for 4 years we have been told repeatedly that we cannot get a family doctor because all their lists are full.

The choice for treatment is to visit the Lagoa Health Centre under the SAP scheme or pay to see a doctor privately at about 45 to 50 euros a time.

Excellent treatment is available privately at the Hospital Particular in Alvor but obviously this is expensive if you have not got private health insurance.

I have been receiving ongoing treatment and monitoring under the NH system at Barlavento Hospital in Portimao and the staff are very friendly and helpful. The main problem apart from waiting times on occasions is that they are under tremendous pressure and the consultants simply do not have the time to devote to individual patients that you get from private consultations.

Even if you use only the NH system for healthcare you need to be aware of the cost of prescribed medicines. I have just been putting the figures together for my 2006 tax return and my wife and I paid a total of 2100 euros at chemists for medicines - after the discounts under the Cartao do Utente. We both need prescription drugs each month and one is quite expensive but if you need regular medicines you need to factor in a cost. There is no fixed prescription charge here and no free prescriptions for over 60s either.

We kept our former UK private health cover but I am told that there are some good schemes available through AFPOP with Medal.

[Richard&Babs]

Steve read you response with interest. What is the cost of prescription drugs e.g. I am on standard meds for angina: aspirin, atenolol, simvastatin and allopurinol for gout!