What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

I can't help with a cost basis per se, but having made lots of friends who have used the Portuguese health service for various ailments from kidney issues to major heart surgery eye lens replacement not to mention various bumps and scrapes broken bones etc.
Almost all have said the service they have received has been more than acceptable and probably better than UK NHS.
This is silver Coast area.

Hth

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

I had my prostate removed in December 2013 by the best surgeon in Portugal at a private hospital in Lisbon. He undertook keyhole surgery using the Da Vinci robot and I was playing tennis a month later, beating my brother-in-law to his great surprise. The total medical cost was €16,000; Allianz insurance company paid €8,000 but refused to pay for the robot which undoubtedly made all the difference to my recovery, so I paid the rest. The Medal insurance policy through AFPOP is recommended but is getting a little expensive nowadays.

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

Down here in Algarve, private insurance has different benefits;
1; we have several large well equipped private hospitals
2; the public hospitals here are scandalously neglected and underfunded.
two articles about the Algarve health crisis;
https://www.portugalresident.com/man...eon-boycott-2/
https://www.portugalresident.com/cri...ot-even-worse/

But you live just 50km from Coimbra, which has really good public medical facilities.

There are situations where private insurance could save your life; it's not likely but it happens.
Other times it's about life quality. I had an object stuck in my finger joint that required surgery to remove. Another patient in my area on public insurance had an almost identical issue, and was told they wouldn't operate; life was not at risk, there was no disability, merely chronic pain.
I paid a hundred or so, I don't remember.

Individual stories can go on and on, everyone has a different experience. We think private health care is worth sacrificing for. Others think it's a waste of money.

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

Was it Medal that refused to pay for the robot??

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

That was the co-pay; the operation was over 1,000 1,400 I think was the number.
This was outpatient, but I had full anesthesia, 2 surgeons, and a nurse.
It sounds like nothing, but it was right next to a tendon so any slip and the finger would be lost.
I don't remember numbers well.

For the first 50 years of my life I had no insurance at all; I once had knee reconstruction and the cost was equal to about 2 or 3 years of insurance, so my uninsured years worked out well financially.
That was risky, probably dumb.
Now we have double insurance, private and state.
Sometimes Alianze refused to pay for something and we appealed it through Medal, and they did pay.
So far.

We've had LOTS of scans and tests, appointments + consultations. Costs are marginal, tens or single euros. I had a MRI, no problem, short wait. MRI is amazing technology and in high demand.
Heart tests [this is really important for older people], all sorts of things.

It's not a question of whether you'll need health care, it's a question of when.

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

It was Allianz who refused to pay for robotic surgery, even when the surgeon provided a robust reasoning for using Da Vinci, explaining how it helped him avoid damaging muscles, etc. My speedy recovery from the operation negated further care as there were no complications.

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

My OH would be dead now if I hadn't had immediate access to a private hospital and all facilities, including bringing in a top surgeon from Lisbon to perform the life saving surgery at a minutes notice.. For me too.. ( altho juries questioning it at the moment ... see WPYOT post of mine ) I was 'blue lighted' one day to private hospital to undertake stent implants the following morning Couldn't fault my treatment .Cost under Allianz/ AFPOP deal was 8.000 for the OH's op...and 6,000 for mine .90% paid for by insurance. Insurance costs 1,000 euro's each per year. .For me its a question of security. and immediate access .. and yes we can afford it... We budget for it.
In the hospital reception area on Monday there was ( I think) a Swedish couple ,she needed to see a doctor but the receptionist could not accept the insurance card they offered ( language difficulties with English ) In the end she had to pay 50 euro's and hope it would be paid back on the card she had. .

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

I hope you are both fully recovered.
...but would you not have received similarly life-saving treatment as a Portuguese resident without the private insurance?

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

According to the Gov. UK website you're covered either way....

"Healthcare after Brexit.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you are registered for healthcare based on your residency, your healthcare will be protected. If there’s no deal and you receive cover through the S1 form you will not lose access to healthcare. If there are no other arrangements between the UK and Portugal on the day the UK leaves the EU, you will be covered on the basis of your residency. This means your registration within the Portuguese National Health system will continue and you will not need to re-register"

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-i...gal#healthcare

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

Perhaps until end of transition period = Dec 2020.
All depends on what deal they strike, if they will agree on one.
Best to read the Portuguese text rather than Brit. Gov. one.
We found a discrepancy in Brit. link and Austrian gov. link.
Better compare the texts.

Re: What did you pay for private treatment? What about insurance?
 

Would you provide the links themselves, please?