SNS PORTUGAL (English)
The application for temporary protection automatically assigns a number to the National Health Service (NSNS). You now have automatic access to Portuguese NHS services and health care.
The Portuguese National Health Service (SNS) tends to be free of charge. Any citizen registered with the National Health Service can access a Hospital or Primary Health Care Unit and will, at most, have to pay a user fee. The value of this fee can vary between 2.5 euros and a maximum of 40 euros per act.
In the SNS, the following are exempt from paying user fees:
• Asylum seekers and refugees and their spouses or equivalent and direct descendants.
• Unemployed persons with valid registration at the employment center receiving unemployment benefit equal to or less than 1.5 times the social support index (IAS), and their spouse and dependents.
• Pregnant women, parturients
• Minors (up to 18 years old)
• Young people in the process of promotion and protection in the commission for the protection of children and young people; or who are in compliance with a guardianship measure of internment in an educational center or a precautionary measure of custody in a public or private institution; or integrated into any of the social reception responses by court decision.
• Donors of blood, cells, tissues and organs; and transplant patients;
• Users with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 60%
Inquire at the Primary Care Unit how to obtain a multi-use certificate of disability.
• Users in a situation of economic insufficiency, as well as dependents of the respective household. The request can be made at the Primary Health Care Unit. The condition of economic insufficiency is assessed by the Tax and Customs Authority (AT)
The SNS does not charge user fees in:
Family planning consultations and respective prescribed complementary acts;
Consultations and respective complementary acts prescribed in the context of (…) treatment of chronic pain, mental health, (…), diabetes, treatment and follow-up of oncological disease;
First hospital specialty consultation, with referral by primary health care;
Respiratory healthcare at home and Healthcare in the field of dialysis;
Home consultations on the initiative of the SNS services;
Vaccination provided for in the national vaccination program (Vacinnations in Portugal);
Emergency service when referred by Primary Health Care, by the National Health Service Service Center and by INEM for an emergency service, including the prescribed complementary acts;
Hospitalization through emergency service.
Consultations and all complementary diagnostic and therapeutic tests prescribed by Primary Health Care.
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
Once you have a residence, you should contact the Primary Health Care Unit in that area as soon as possible and register yourself and your family to have access to health care equal to that of the Portuguese.
In Primary Health Care Units you will have access to a family doctor, nursing services, vaccination. Some units may have other additional services.
It is the PHC doctor who refers to other specialties, usually in SNS hospitals.
• Access to Rheumatology in Portugal:
At the National Health Service (SNS), the doctor at the primary health care unit refers you to a rheumatology consultation.
There are also clinics in the private sector.
You can find a list of rheumatologists in Portugal at
https://spreumatologia.pt/encontre-um-reumatologista/
• Special regimes for access to medication:
Methotrexate and leflunomide for treating rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthritis is fully reimbursed by SNS, if prescribed by specialists in rheumatology, internal medicine and pediatrics.
Purchased from pharmacies.
Abatacept, Adalimumab,
Anacinra, Baricitinib,
Brodalumab, Certolizumab pegol,
Etanercept, Filgotinib, Golimumab, Guselcumab, Infliximab, Ixecizumab,
Risancizumab, Secucinumab,
Tildracizumab, Tocilizumab,
Tofacitinib, Upadacitinib, Ustecinumab, for rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, or plaque psoriasis, can only be prescribed at specialist clinics in some centers.
With the prescription, they are provided free of charge in the pharmacies of the SNS Hospitals.
Also available for hospital prescription: canakinumab, rituximab, belimumab, mepolizumab.
Lupus
The SNS covers entirely the costs of medicines reimbursed by the SNS necessary for the treatment of people with Lupus.
• Medication in general
Medicines subject to a medical prescription can only be purchased in pharmacies. Some medicines are reimbursed by the SNS (discount on the retail price).
The price difference between generic and branded drugs is variable (you can order whichever is cheaper, as long as the doctor has given this option in the prescription)
Non-prescription medicines can be purchased at parapharmacies or pharmacies.
Biotechnological medicines can only be purchased in Hospitals (pharmacy or outpatient clinics).
CHILDREN AND YOUTH UP TO 18 YEARS OLD
The SNS provides a consultation for monitoring young people and children arriving from Ukraine, at Hospital de Dona Estefânia (Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central) in Lisbon.
There is a hotline on +351 967 059 865. A screening is scheduled for the morning and consultation in the afternoon, in the External Consultations building, with a translation service.
After a first clinical observation, users of Ukrainian origin are referred for specific treatment or follow-up consultations, according to their needs.
COVID-19 VACCINATION
Persons aged 16 or over and at least one of the following conditions must be vaccinated with an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine:
Treatment with alemtuzumab, leflunomide, rituximab, ocrelizumab, cladribine, cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, methotrexate, prednisolone >10mg/day for at least three months or prednisolone >20mg/day for at least two weeks or equivalent
One dose of mRNA vaccine should be administered, at least 3 months after the last dose previously given.
Vaccination of people with immunosuppression must be carried out under the guidance and prescription of the assistant physician.
Children aged 5-11 years and adolescents aged 12-15 years should also be vaccinated. History of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, myocarditis or pericarditis, are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the attending physician.
In case of signs or symptoms of acute illness, you should consult the Primary Healthcare Unit or hospital in your area of residence.