SONICYOUTH

My wife and I became permanent residents in the Algarve from the UK in December 2018. We are both early retirees (early 60's) and registered with the state health system.

Following surgery in the UK last year I needed an MRI scan and was referred by my doctor at Tavira Health centre to an MRI clinic in Faro. I was charged 125 euros for the scan and 65 euros for a contrast dye. I now need a full body PET scan and was referred to a clinic in Lisbon, but only quoted 15 euros for the scan which should be more expensive than an MRI!

Should I have only been charged a nominal fee for the MRI in Faro as a state health patient? Have I been accidentally referred to a private clinic? I've been trying to clarify with both clinics but without much success so far.

Any advice appreciated.

SONICYOUTH

Looks like I have been referred to a private clinic without anyone telling me !

Does anyone know if Atomedical in Lisbon is a private or state hospital?

Ingles

As above.

SONICYOUTH

Private ....as I thought - so why am I being told it's only 15 euros for a PET scan? Have they made a mistake or another price band I don't know about?

Ingles

I have no idea?
https://www.arslvt.min-saude.pt/frontoffice/pages/16

This is there Contact Info :- Ask them .

Red Eric

The public health service here has contracts with the private sector for some services or circumstances, which means that you could well be being referred to a private clinic and paying only a nominal fee (the taxa moderadora) that you would pay for the same service in a public hospital.

Pilou

I had the same thought as Red Eric.
The clinic in Faro is private and I presume they have no contract with the state health care. The clinic in Lisbon seems to be private too but acts within the state health care.

SONICYOUTH

Thanks - advice much appreciated. It's a confusing system when encountering it for the first time. The fact that we are not being informed of potential (high) charges by the health centre doesn't help. We naively assumed that as we were residents and registered with the health centre, we would benefit from nominal charges.

As early retirees and neither in receipt of a pension nor working, we have been told we cannot get a social security number. Again, the health centre are telling us we are liable to higher charges in some cases, because we do not have a social security number. Is this correct?

Red Eric

The first part is correct, although some on here report having been issued a SS number under those circs. It wouldn't be usual though - you'd be much more likely to be met with a refusal if you tried.

I'm puzzled by the 2nd bit though. As far as I'm aware, once enrolled in the public health system, you're entitled to all the same treatments at the same cost as any other resident.

SONICYOUTH

We have been told on two occasions by receptionists at Tavira Health centre that we need a social security number to fully access subsidised health care.

Also, we went down to the citizens office at Tavira Gran Plaza, to apply for a Portuguese EHIC card to cover us on UK visits and were told that we cannot apply at citizens offices and we couldn't get a Portuguese EHIC card anyway as we didn't have a social security number.

mfesharne

Whoever told you that info is about 5 years out of date but you'll be pleased to know that the UK Embassy has a team dedicated to sorting out the medical related bureaucracy & you can contact them via the Embassy Facebook page called Brits in Portugal but be sure you go to that exact page because there are several others with similar names & claim some kind of link to the Embassy & some even try to solicit donations.................... and they're totally unrelated to the Embassy.

AliceCaroline

For a Portuguese EHIC (Cartão Europeu de Seguro de Doença) you need to go to a Social Security office. We are also early retirees with no SS number but managed to get an EHIC card.

Within the link below it says..

"Who can apply

• Workers who are covered by a social security scheme, non-active workers, pensioners and their families
• Beneficiaries of public health subsystems
• Beneficiaries of private health subsystems
• Users of the national health service if there is no link to Social Security or a public or private health subsystem.

The CESD is a nominative and individual card, so each holder and family member who travels abroad must have his own."

Cartão Europeu de Seguro de Doença - seg-social.pt

We completed this form and took it with us...

http://www.seg-social.pt/documents/1...4-529b7d2c90f4

Red Eric

This link explains the entitlement to registration without a Social Security number : ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS

And here's the relevant part :