Over the last few years, Mike and I have spoken a lot about our experience with healthcare here in Portugal. However, I still get asked this question a lot, so I thought it might be time to revisit it and also share a new experience. Below you will find a recent video that I think nails the differences between healthcare in the US and in Portugal.
I want to make sure people do not take this as US-bashing. Mike and I are forever grateful for our time in the US and feel so thankful that we were able to raise our kids there. HOWEVER, we are also SOOOOOO thankful for the healthcare in Portugal and all the benefits that go along with it. I hope you find the video below helpful.
Mike and I are residents of Portugal; thus, we have access to the public healthcare system here. However, we chose to purchase private healthcare insurance ($6,300 per year for medical and dental for the two of us together). As the gentleman mentioned, private insurance is very affordable and accessible. One thing the video creator failed to mention is that the public healthcare system here in Portugal is heavily impacted. Our Portuguese friends say that it can take months to get an appointment, which is yet another reason we decided to purchase private healthcare insurance. Now, if we had a medical emergency and called 112, which is the equivalent of 911 in the U.S., an ambulance from the public system would pick us up and take us to a public hospital. We would have to show our “número de utente,” an identification number that shows you are eligible to utilize the Portuguese healthcare system. In a medical emergency, it is advised for everyone, regardless of private healthcare, to use the public hospitals because they are better equipped to handle emergencies. Not every hospital in Portugal is equipped for all emergencies, and if needed, they will transport you to the appropriate hospital to receive the necessary assistance. At a later time, you could transfer to a private hospital if you wish. Have I confused you yet?
Now, to share my recent dental experience here in Portugal. Last week, I started having some pretty intense tooth pain. I went to the local farmacia and was given a topical spray to numb the pain. The main ingredient was benzocaine, similar to what we have in the States in a product called Orajel. The gel worked for a bit but I knew that there was something not good happening in this mouth of mine. Thankfully a good friend recommended a local dentist. The dentist’s office was very busy but knowing that I was in pain, made room in their schedule to see me the following day.
The staff at the Suevo Clinic all spoke English, welcomed me, and made me feel safe right away. The equipment they used for diagnostics was top-notch.
As I feared, after a panoramic X-ray was done, it was confirmed that I would need a root canal. At that point, they could have said I needed to give up an arm, and I would have agreed; the pain was that bad. Dr. Letsch explained the procedure to me, and even though it was already 17:00 (5:00 PM), he started the root canal, knowing I was in so much pain. I won’t go into the details of a root canal, but if you’ve had one, you know they are not fun. Two hours later, the first stage of the root canal was complete. The only really uncomfortable part was that during the 2-hour procedure, the doctor and the assistant spoke Portuguese, and I understood nothing. I was kicking myself for getting lazy with my Portuguese homework. Throughout the procedure, the doctor checked in with me to ensure I was doing okay and comfortable.
The next step is to come back in early January to continue with the root canal. They must do the root canal in stages because of the inflammation that needs to settle before they do the final crown.
My mouth was sore, but my tooth was on its way to being fixed, and for that, I was very thankful. The entire appointment cost 400 euros. This was a private practice and did not accept dental insurance; however, when a business does not take insurance, our private healthcare insurance still pays 60% of the bill.
I am very grateful for the Suevo Clinic and its staff. I am SO thankful for Portugal and the healthcare system here. On a side note, a dermatologist caught some skin cancer on Mike that two US doctors missed. Again, I am not bashing the US at all; I just think the system is broken and not on its way to being fixed.
That is it for now; feel free to shoot me any questions you have about healthcare here in Portugal, and I will do my best to help out.
