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Healthcare System information/Insurance news |
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The healthcare system in Portugal is comprised of both public and private medical services. The public healthcare system provides free and low cost healthcare for people who contribute to the Portuguese social security fund; their family members, and retirees of the country are also under coverage. Retirees from other EU countries who have paid regular social security contributions for two full years prior to going to Portugal are also entitled to public healthcare in the country for a limited period. Benefits under public healthcare include general and specialist care, hospitalisation, laboratory services, discounted drugs and medicines, basic dental care, maternity care, appliances and transportation. There are subsidised prescriptions for members aged over 65. For non-essential medicines patients will typically pay between 40-100% of the final cost. Substantial contributions are also provided for many services such as spectacles, dentures, dental and spa treatment.
In Portugal, primary healthcare in the public sector is delivered mostly through publicly funded and managed health centres. Some of the services provided by the General Practioners (GP) in the health centres include general medical care, prenatal care, children’s care, women’s health, family planning and perinatal care, first aid and certification of incapacity to work, etc. Patients must register with a GP, and they can choose among the available health centers within a geographical area.
Like in any system, there are always some issues. Many patients prefer to go directly to emergency care services in hospitals or the private sector where the full range of diagnostic tests can be obtained in a few hours. This leads to an excessive demand on emergency departments and considerable misuse of resources as expensive emergency services are used for relatively minor conditions. Other major problems existing in the Portugese primary healthcare system also include inequitable distribution of healthcare resources, lack of coordination among primary healthcare centres, hospital doctors, hospitals and private doctors. There is also a lack of motivation of GPs working in isolation for fixed salaries, limited access to healthcare services for poorer and geographically isolated people, and a shortage of qualified ancillary staff in health centres. Moreover, the Portuguese healthcare system places the emphasis on cure rather than prevention; as such there is very little preventive medicine. Although this has improved in recent years, regular health checks for children/older people and immunisation programme for children are now in place.
Globalsurance is a one-stop insurance brokerage service provider for you when travelling to Portugal. We offer a wide range of policies to meet your individual needs, including benefits such as dental, maternity, inpatient, outpatient, specialist consultations and many others. Contact our professional advisers today to enjoy a full insurance protection such as Expat Health Insurance for yourself and your family.
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