This Wednesday the government guaranteed that Portuguese expats would still have access to the National Health Service (SNS) and denied that they would have to pay the full cost of treatment.
Contacted CMThe Ministry of Health explained that changes made to the National User Register will allow users living abroad to use a European health card so that payment for services can be agreed upon between states.
For example, a Portuguese person who lives in the UK and receives care in Portugal will still not have to pay the full cost of care, but the issue of payment will be resolved between the two countries.
However, expats who do not see their family doctor in Portugal within a certain period of time lose access to a medical professional. However, the ministry assured that they will still be able to visit medical centers where registration is maintained and they will be visited by another doctor.
The justification comes after it was revealed that Portuguese living abroad will become “inactive” on social networks, forcing them to pay for services from January 1, 2024.
When confronted with this information, the president of the Council of Portuguese Communities reported that “nothing was conveyed” to this government advisory body, but noted that “this is a very negative decision and another misunderstanding of the government towards the communities.”
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REQUIRES COMMON SENSE FROM A LEADER
The SDP considered the decision to exclude emigrants from the SNA “extremely serious.” The party said in a statement that the decision casts emigrants as “second-class Portuguese” and called on the government to use “common sense.” FAMILIES LOSE CONTACT
Expats will be forced to “cut off the connection with the family doctor” that was based on people’s “trust” in the professional, whether by email or telephone, warned Nelson Magalhães, vice-president of USF-AN.
REQUIRES COMMON SENSE FROM A LEADER
The SDP considered the decision to exclude emigrants from the SNA “extremely serious.” The party said in a statement that the decision casts emigrants as “second-class Portuguese” and called on the government to use “common sense.” FAMILIES LOSE CONTACT
Expats will be forced to “cut off the connection with the family doctor” that was based on people’s “trust” in the professional, whether by email or telephone, warned Nelson Magalhães, vice-president of USF-AN.
Author: João Reis Alves This Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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