PUBLIC SYSTEM

 It is ensured by the State through the National Health Service (SNS) and is what serves most of the population in the country. The SNS covers the population of mainland Portugal, comprises the entire range of primary and differentiated health care and is a right for all.

• Groupings of health centers
• Local health units (ULS)
• Hospitals

Some public hospitals

• Lisbon - Hospital Santa Marta

Rua de Santa Marta, 1169-024 Lisbon

• São João Hospital

Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto

• Faro Hospital 

Leão Penedo, 8000-386 Faro

To access the SNS while residing in Portugal, you must have a user number. To obtain this number, go to the health center in your area of ​​residence or to a Citizen's Store and present the document proving that you reside in Portugal.

If you are a citizen of the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland, you must apply for the S1 document in your country of origin.

The SNS has a small cost: user fees. A general and family medicine consultation, for example, costs 4.50€. A specialist consultation costs 7€ and a multipurpose emergency care costs 18€.

PRIVATE SYSTEM 

It is provided by large private groups, which may have hospitals, clinics or both.

The services provided have a higher cost than in the National Health Service. However, prices can be lower if you have health insurance, where you pay a monthly fee, which covers a percentage of everything you spend in hospitals and private clinics. The advantage of the private system is that, as general care in public hospitals can take longer, with health insurance, you will be able to be seen more quickly in a private hospital, paying more or less the same as in the public one.

Lisboa

• CUF
• Lusíadas
• Luz Saúde
• Hospital St. Louis

Porto

• CUF
• Luz Saúde
• Lusíadas
• Trofa Saúde

Hospitais privados no Algarve

• HPA Saúde
• Lusíadas

HEALTH SUB-SYSTEMS

There are several public and private health sub-systems, created within ministries, banks, insurance companies and other institutions, to provide health care to their employees or associates. Some subsystems have their own health establishments, where beneficiaries may directly benefit from the services provided there - such as the Hospital das Forças Armadas, SAMS Hospital and the SAMS network of clinics.