Several doctors working in primary health care services told Lusa News Agency that they had been informed that, as of 1 January, Portuguese nationals with a tax address outside Portugal will be considered "inactive".
This means that every time they use a Portuguese SNS service, they will have to pay the cost. Also, they lose the right to a family doctor.
Nelson Magalhães, Vice-President of USF-AN (Unidade de Saúde Familiar - Associação Nacional), told Lusa that the decision was announced to the units at a meeting held on 2 October with officials from the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS) and the Ministry of Health's Shared Services (SPMS).
At stake is the application of an ordinance (no. 1668/2023) that "defines the rules and management mechanisms relating to the National User Register (RNU), as well as the rules for registering citizens in the SNS and for registering in primary health care".
Primary health care professionals are trying to contact patients in these circumstances, who react with some anger.
"I don't think it's fair. Although it's true that I live abroad at the moment, I still prefer to use healthcare in Portugal, since the language and familiarity make it easier, especially for some chronic health problems, for which I've always been treated in Portugal with the same family doctor who has been with me since I was a child," said a lady who currently lives in the Netherlands and who has already been informed that she will be leaving the SNS system.
She added: "I'm still Portuguese and I feel that this policy excludes me and will make it harder for me to access healthcare."
For Nelson Magalhães, there are a lot of people who "don't want to cut the link with their family doctor".
Nelson Magalhães highlighted that these Portuguese emigrants must have the European Health Insurance Card, which allows them to receive medical assistance during a temporary stay in a European Union country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
The measure should affect hundreds of Portuguese, since out of a universe of 1,750 patients per family doctor, around 100 have emigrated.
The impact will also be felt on the income of doctors, who are paid according to the number of users on their lists and who, “in order to maintain the same amount, will have to include more patients and those new patients will be people who consume more services, which will make medical responses even more difficult".
quick question, for those who have being paying into the SNS (due to work in Portugal) and that are excluded and never used it, will they get back the money which they paied via their Payslip? Probably not! Socialism ehhm I mean communism ehhm the other word I dont say
By FaB from Other on 14 Dec 2023, 15:39
So PT nationals living abroad have to start paying for healthcare, meanwhile US citizens come and get free healthcare saving themselves 10s of thousands each year on top of all the other savings -and frankly, why wouldn't they? Meanwhile the Tugas are getting pushed up into the mountains or fleeing the country completely and taking their beautiful culture with it. Sickening.
By Wes from Lisbon on 15 Dec 2023, 09:58
I totally agree. As a Canadian I lost ALL Canadian benefits -including Healthcare - when I left Canada. BUT Canada still expects my incomde tax deducted at soyrce in Canada on Canadian income ( interest on savings, pensions, etc.). No one should escapt the taxman who expects us to pay for benefits given in the past, etc.
By Kenneth Pisichko from Other on 15 Dec 2023, 11:49
why? most emigrants left the country because they could not survive. despite this, they kept bank acc, renovated or bought new houses, invested in business, emigrant entrepeneurs invested in the country, thus they have been paying taxes, albeit not income tax! the sns services should be paid by all that use them, not only by emigrants, as an usual insurance, with support from the state. Foreigners should not be using it for free or using for health tourism purposes. Portuguese emigrants will finish up cutting ties with Portugal, to the country's loss, because this is seen as discrimination towards them.
By Cristina Dangerfield from Lisbon on 15 Dec 2023, 13:44
Wes, most Americans have private insurance, so please do not spread misinformation regarding this. We're here 3+ years now and have had insurance the whole time
By Debra from Lisbon on 15 Dec 2023, 21:45
DESCREMINATION whatever emigrats live ARE portugueses and most pay taxes both countries
By Mira from Lisbon on 16 Dec 2023, 16:18
Quite right too, and this should've happened long ago. Totally preposterous for people not living in Portugal to use the SNS when it suits them. You can't do this in the UK for example, as public healthcare is only available to residents of the UK.
By Billy Bissett from Porto on 18 Dec 2023, 23:05
Tens of thousands of people from the US?
There is barely 10k here now.
You need private health insurance for your d7 visa.
I have not met any Americans here that do not have private insurance.
The spread of misinformation of this type is what creates attitudes of mistrust.
By jkugs from USA on 15 Jan 2024, 11:57