| One of the places in world that is the favorite | | | | European Union member citizens. The benefits |
| jaunt for immigrants and expats is Portugal. All in | | | | include free appointments to doctors as well as |
| all, the country is one of the greatest places to | | | | free medication. As a retiree, one needs to fill out |
| retire. Before you decide on packing your bags | | | | form E121 and those who are qualified for state |
| and belongings, as a retiree, you need to be fully | | | | pensions can still avail of the free health coverage |
| aware of the system of health care in Portugal. | | | | upon completion of form E106. Should the |
| Officially, the country is known as the Portuguese | | | | temporary cover expires before retirement age, |
| Republic and is located in southwestern Europe. It | | | | then one can either make a voluntary social |
| is located on the upper part of the Iberian | | | | security contribution or obtain private health |
| peninsula, particularly the westernmost part of | | | | insurance. As for non European Union nationals, |
| mainland Europe. It is bordered on the east and | | | | there is a need for personal insurance coverage |
| north by Spain and on the west by the Atlantic | | | | before obtaining medical treatment in Portugal. |
| Ocean. Also forming part of the country are the | | | | If you are a bona fide employee in Portugal and a |
| archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores. | | | | reported contributor to the country's social |
| After decades of mismanagement, reforms to | | | | security system, you can readily avail of free |
| the system of healthcare in Portugal were | | | | treatments from the system of health care in |
| undertaken in 2002. The end result of these | | | | Portugal. Non-essential medications though are not |
| reforms was a more efficient and effective | | | | provided for free as you would need to shoulder |
| system attuned to the needs of the Portuguese | | | | forty to the full cost of the medicines. A lot of |
| people. The healthcare system provides services | | | | medicines can easily be obtained over the counter |
| to the eligible members of the Portuguese | | | | without need of a doctor's prescription. If you are |
| population. The coverage also provides services to | | | | resident of Portugal, then you need to obtain a |
| the members of the European Union countries. | | | | medical card from your personal doctor from the |
| The system of healthcare in Portugal has three | | | | local health center. In order to obtain the card, |
| co-existing systems. These are the National Health | | | | you need to present proof of residency as well |
| Service, the health insurance sub-system and the | | | | as your social security card. |
| private insurance sector. The system works for | | | | If you hail from North America or Western |
| European Union citizens through reciprocal health | | | | Europe, you may find that the services for health |
| agreements among nations. If you are sojourning | | | | care in Portugal are below standard. This does not |
| to Portugal, you need to fill out form E111 from | | | | mean that Portugal's system is bad for it is |
| your place of origin. The forms can be obtained | | | | relatively good especially after the reforms |
| from the Post Office and needs to be submitted | | | | undertaken. As advised in Expat Forum, "Once |
| to the hospital or clinic attending to your needs | | | | you have grasped the real idea on how their |
| while in Portugal. | | | | health care system works, for sure you will not |
| As for those seeking permanent residence in this | | | | have a hard time adjusting when you are already |
| Iberian country, the system of healthcare in | | | | in the European country. |
| Portugal provides free basic health care for | | | | |