Healthcare in Portugal
Planning on travelling to Portugal after covid?
The government has announced that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is to be replaced with a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This means that British people travelling to Portugal will still be able to receive free, or cheaper, state-provided medical care.
The GHIC entitles you to basic state healthcare in Portugal. It covers things like emergency treatment, treatment for chronic or pre-existing medical conditions, routine medical or maternity care, and oxygen and kidney dialysis.
As state healthcare is not entirely free in Portugal, you may still have to pay for certain medical care.
The GHIC does not cover all medical costs. Some things it doesn’t cover include private medical care, medical repatriation, mountain rescue and non-urgent treatment.
Healthcare for permanent residents
All legal residents of Portugal can access state healthcare through the Portuguese national health service (SNS). As mentioned, this is not completely free and you will have to pay standard user fees (taxas moderadoras) for things like GP appointments.
The standard of healthcare in Portugal is high, ranking thirteenth on the 2018 Euro Health Consumer Index. It is funded through general taxation and social security contributions by the employed.
However, if you are a retired resident you do not have to make social security contributions and can access public healthcare by filling in an S1 form.
There is also the option of taking out private health insurance alongside your public healthcare. This is a popular option with many Portuguese citizens. Private policies can cover additional costs and services that are not covered by the public healthcare system. Often, you will also receive faster treatment by going private.
