Typically the question Canadians ask us most is “What about the health care?” I have to say in my limited experience, I think it’s excellent. Firstly, health care is free – a given right. So anyone can go to a hospital – emergency or with a scheduled appointment – and it won’t cost.
However, there are options to have access to go to a private hospital or clinic, which costs. Prices range – an emergency appointment might be 45€, seeing a specialist $75, a regular doctor about 35€. You have the option of buying a discount card, and that’s quite a competitive market – we opted for a health discount card which costs about 800€ a year. (It includes dental services too – we pay about 35 to 40€ for teeth cleaning.) The clinic we go to is private, located in the local mall and open 9 to 9 seven days a week. It’s connected to a good hospital in a small city about 40 minutes away, and on the one occassion we used it, experienced fantastic service there. We experienced wonderful caring service at the public hospital in Faro too. If needed, there’s every little waiting time to get appointments for MRI’s, scans, xrays, blood work etc. – and you take home your results of the scans, blood work, or xrays – to show your doctor.
I think in Ontario (where I came from before moving to Portugal) there’s a common belief that it has the best health care system in the world. But I’m wondering if we were not influenced, or comparing it to the perverse costs of the US medical system. The few drugs that we have needed since moving here have been insanely inexpensive. All under 10€ – which also makes me think drug companies in Ontario are making huge, huge profits.
Case in point. Several years ago when we were just about to start our Portugal tour (before moving here), I tripped on the street and banged my head on a metal pole in Lisbon. I was cut near my eye and there was some blood. Two kind women stayed with me, and called an ambulance. Paramedics came and I was taken to the nearest hospital, treated (6 stitches) and released. Then in Porto (10 days later) a nurse came to the hotel to remove my stitches. I recall that the total cost of the bill was about $250 Canadian.
So, I gues the upshot is that I feel secure and very cared for here. Touch wood.
