Medical care in Portugal

Medical assistance in Portugal Any resident in Portugal is entitled to free basic health care, this includes essential medicines and GP visits. Non-essential medicines (like the UK) are not free of charge; you may have to pay between 40% and 100% of the cost. Pharmacies in Portugal are open fairly long hours and there is usually one open locally late for emergencies. If you become a resident on Portugal you will need to apply for a medical card, which will enable you to seek medical advice when needed. You can obtain these from any local health clinic. If any emergency occurs in Portugal the number is 112 (as 999 is in the UK). It is wise to also have health insurance in Portugal (like any country) as this may enable you to get faster access to any specialist treatment centres. Some companies do provide expatriate health insurance

Portugal is in the European Economic Area (EEA) which means that UK residents with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are entitled to receive free or reduced cost medical care, at state-run facilities. It does not cover non-urgent treatment or usually dental treatment, so comprehensive travel insurance is advised.