Cherrypop

Having been here 3 weeks I'm about to get down to my local private clinic to register. Apparently for a small annual fee I can access a doctors appointment for 20 euros and get reasonably priced prescriptions and investigations.

My plan was that once I'd got my residency sorted out after 3 months here, I'd go to my local health centre and register there for the state healthcare system and thought between both, I'd be pretty well covered.

I'd looked at all the information online and checked with my UK GP regarding healthcare abroad but it now seems that the information I was given is somewhat outdated. As an early retiree (I'm 59), apparently I'm not entitled to register here until I reach official retirement age - something that seems to have changed, unlike all the online information I've read. Whilst I'm currently healthy, have no conditions and take no medication, I'm now rather concerned that should I become unwell, I'll have no access to healthcare without paying the full cost, which I doubt I can afford.

Is the information I now have correct that the S1 form I'd intended to submit to my health centre is now only for those UK citizens in receipt of the state pension?

Is it possible to pay voluntary social security payments in Portugal in order to access the system?

I thought I'd done my homework and now wondering what the best solution might be and don't know who to ask to find out what my options are.

mfesharne

You've been given a shedload of misinformation.

S1 applies solely to recipients of state pension & PT NHS entitlement is solely based on residency. If you have that, you're entitled to the same care as any Portuguese person & if you don't, you get nothing.

UK entitlement to PT NHS with/without SS number

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-portugal


If you need to complain about not getting registered on the PT NHS system: https://www.ers.pt/pages/356


How to register on the PT NHS in Portuguese & English


https://www.ers.pt/pages/438?news_id=1203

Cherrypop

Thanks for the info. I'm somewhat relieved if a bit shocked at the amount of people that ought to know the entitlements and don't. Just yesterday I was on the phone to HMRC about a tax issue. I asked to speak to someone about healthcare now that I've moved here and again was told that I'd need to complete an S1 form.

At risk of appearing dim (I just want to get this absolutely clear - can you tell I've been pushed from pillar to post)? - once I have my residency, I CAN register for the healthcare system with the same entitlements as a Portuguese citizen??

I ask again because 2 expat friends that have been here 6 months now, went to our local heath centre once they had residency but were refused the right to register. They were told they had to produce an S1 form but since, like me, they're not of UK pensionable age, they can't produce one. They've given up trying to register now.

Another expat friend told me just this morning that the PT system has changed and that a a UK citizen can't register until of pensionable age and she has just been able to do so with an S1 form. Until now, she's gone back to UK for any treatment as couldn't access it here!!

Yet another friend who moved here 2 years ago brought her 30 something son with her. He was also refused when attempting to register despite being a resident. He's now employed so it's no longer an issue for him.

Mac and Mabel

We are both under UK state pension age and not working in PT. Became PT resident and registered with PT NHS in 2016. We are in central Portugal and although it took visits to 3 health centre to find the right one for our address, every clinic had displayed the entitlement flowchart that Mfesharne has attached and the staff knew the rules i.e. We didn't need a PT SS number. I'm sure the rules haven't changed since then. You're not in the Algarve by any chance, are you? If so, that could point to the problem - whenever I read of problems registering with the state health service, it is invariably from residents in the South. I would suggest, when the time comes, take along a printed copy of that flowchart and if they still don't get it, try to get the SS to speak to them to explain. Good luck.

mfesharne

I posted a reply to this but it seems to have disappeared so I'll try again.

Once you are a registered resident as in you have the initial 5 year Residencia or the subsequent PR permit(s) you're entitled to the same more or less free care as any Portuguese person.

The S1 only relates to which country eventually gets the bill & only applies to those in receipt of state pension.

I suggest you go back & show them the first & third links I posted & if they still refuse to register you then you go to the 2nd link & complain....... & also complete the complaints book they have there.

There used to be a requirement to get a Social Security number before registering but this is no longer required unless you're planning to work...... If they ask you for a SS number just have them contact the SS office & sort it out between themselves.

Cherrypop

Thanks mfesharne and Mac & Mabel. I am indeed in the Algarve, so maybe that could be part of the problem.

I can't get my residency sorted until April so in the meantime will pay my 48 euros to the private clinic so at least I'll have a doctor to hand should I need one.

Once the time comes to go to register, I'll take along the info I now have and won't be leaving until they've sorted it.

Thanks all, I'm mightily relieved.

mfesharne

You'd think the civil servants in the Algarve would know the rules inside out because that's where the highest immigrant population is but the opposite seems to be the case.

deecee

I'm quoting from notes on the S1 form.

Entitlement to medical cover while visiting other EEA countries.
If you intend to visit another EU country (not the UK) you can request an EHIC application form from the Overseas Healthcare Team in the UK by telephoning +44 191 2181999.

EHIC = European Health Insurance Card entitles UK citizens to have medical expenses incured abroad to be paid by the NHS.

dingg

https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx

This may help

mfesharne

Deecee

The EHIC card is for residents of one Euro member state to visit another member state & get health care there & the bill goes back to the claimants (Euro) country of residence.

In this case it is not relevant because the OP is going to be resident here & wants NHS cover here.

dingg

Not wishing to be pedantic but as the op isn't yet resident surely the ehic is the first step to take to ensure cover in the event of an accident or sudden illness

mfesharne

I don't disagree with you but she may well have the EHIC to cover her until she gets residency....... However, the original question was about getting registered here.

That said, whilst I appreciate it might be different rules in the Algarve (because they often seem to try to work to different rules there) It might be possible to register residency early.

In my area, they're happy to do that if you give them good reason.

I got mine early because I wanted to create as big a time window as possible because I was importing a car on the tax free basis.

dingg

cheers

it does appear that the level of bureaucracy changes depending who/where/ and which way the winds blowing :-)

Loafing Along

On healthcare will not comment as we have S1 but on residency in the Algarve got ours a few days after we arrived without any problem. Filled out form at local Town Hall, paid our fee and twenty-four hours later returned to puck up certificate.

Loafing Along

On healthcare will not comment as we have S1 but on residency in the Algarve got ours a few days after we arrived without any problem. Filled out form at local Town Hall, paid our fee and twenty-four hours later returned to pick up certificate.