According to current legislation, health care is usually free, considering the user economic and social conditions. For each appointment or care provided, the user should pay an amount, called User Charge according to the rates.
More than half of EU Member States hold a cost sharing rule with the patient to access the family doctor, a specific ambulatory (specialized doctors not in general and family medicine and hospitalisation.
Cost sharing mainly exists by a copayment (in case of all the three service types) or franchise (in case of family doctor, a specific ambulatory) or still by a combination of these two payment systems.
All countries predict some way of relief or fees reduction for the most vulnerable groups (ex: children, elderly/ pensioners, people with low incomes and situations of chronic or severe disease).
Foreigners are bound to the same principles and rules that apply to the general population, in case of payment and fees relief, according to the current rates.
I am a foreigner and haven’t got a residency authorisation.
Health care units may require payment, in accordance with norms and current rates, for the health care provided to a foreign who doesn’t have a residency authorisation document.
However, it is important to refer that the law points out some exceptions: irregular foreigners in the following situations:
- Urgent and vital health care;
- Transmissible diseases Transmissible diseases representing a danger or threat to the public health (e.g. tuberculosis or AIDS);
- Maternal and child health care and reproductive health care (access to family planning appointments, pregnancy voluntary interruption, monitoring women during pregnancy, delivery, puerperium and health care given to newborns);
- Health care provided to underage residing in Portugal under the terms in Decree no. 67/2004, of 25 March;
- Vaccination, according to the current National Vaccination Programme;
- Citizens in social exclusion situation or with low incomes documented by the Social Security System.
- Note: Each case referred above, depends of the economic and social situation of the person measured by the Social Security services.
People who request asylum and refugee, spouses or equivalent, direct descendents are relieved from paying fees, by presenting an asylum request or a residency authorization valid certificate, every time they go to the health services.
Source: Ministry of Health
