Our Daughter Was Hospitalized in Portugal - What Foreigners Should Know About Healthcare in Portugal

[@OurRichJourney]

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[@enfpedroneto]

As a portuguese nurse, let me clairfy just a minor misconception: the healthcare isn't free, its universal. We all pay for it with taxes directed to support the healthcare system. Its universal and, in a sense, pre-paid by our taxes. But its not "free". Also, thanks for the kind words! We try our best! :)

[@ameixa7878]

Eles no fim do vídeo dizem

[@nunosilva187]

Só que depois temos ADSE em que vemos que quem é contratado pelo estado é favorecido no tempo de escolher onde quer ser tratado, tmb pago com dinheiros públicos. Mas em vez de os cidadões poderem usufruir desse privilégio temos apenas direito a filas de espera que podem demorar meses.

[@rapina100]

@@nunosilva187 ADSE é retirado do salario do funcionario publico.

[@adesintra100]

@@nunosilva187 a ADSE custa 10% do salário do funcionário publico por mês. Em muitos casos custa mais do que um seguro privado.

[@manuelabarreto2660]

@@nunosilva187 ADSE não é paga com dinheiros públicos. São os funcionários que o financiam, pagando uma percentagem do salário para o efeito. Antes de fazer afirmações erradas, é necessário ser detentor das informações corretas.

[@marianapedrosa4895]

As a Portuguese I couldn't be happier after this video! We tend to understimate our country in many things, and health care is one of them! Your opinion is really valuable for us

[@sofiasousaesilva]

That's true. I live in The Netherlands and we need to pay for even an appointment with the family doctor.

[@rafal9405]

My daughter had to see a doctor in the hospital in Setubal during another visit to beautiful Portugal. We can say only the best things about hospital, doctors, and the whole process. It's incredible because for some reason Portugal proving that the quality of healthcare doesn't have to depend on the level of funding only. All countries I have experience from like the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Cyprus and Poland (lived in all of them) have better founding but non of these countries proving the comparable level of healthcare in my opinion... and people are so friendly and helpful. Love Portugal!

[@invictussupremus5832]

Our health care is not perfect, far from it! There are plenty of problems, from long waiting lists for medical procedures, packed emergencies with people laying in stretchers along corridors (pre-covid)! Our health care is way better than the USA, but it still has many fragilities!

[@csdragonfly]

@@invictussupremus5832 I agree. Compared to other countries it's much better but our health care system is far from perfect. I have to say, though, there's no country where I feel safer going to the hospital or a doctor's appointment. Having the choice, I would always pick Portugal.

[@realramone3455]

@@invictussupremus5832 Every healthcare has fragilities that can be improved. Portugal's health care is very good.

[@IsabelSantosCunha1972]

As a Portuguese citizen, born and raised, i am flattered by your words, and honored to have you as fellow citizens. WELCOME.

[@valterboucadachao7415]

Exactamente subscrevo!!!!

[@joanabatista8374]

And it's maddening that most of us portuguese people even complain about our healthcare system

[@TheReaverKane]

I'll second that!

[@nataliaescobar4700]

Exactly I am also portuguese and live in azores faial

[@joaoppmachado]

Literally!! I even got goosebumps lol I’ve been in England for 4 years now, and yes, our healthcare system is very good! I’d risk to say, at the top...ence why our healthcare professionals are very highly ranked abroad. 12th doesn’t do any justice to it.

[@jerbyslife7481]

I’m Filipino living in Portugal for 12 years now and I am Portugues Citizen and I would say I am greatful and Thankul to have an access for very good healthcare here and also Quality of life and very affordable cost of living! Obrigado e Força Portugal 🇵🇹

[@shangwu]

Any arnis skills in your hands?

[@luisramos1609]

Thank you for choosing Portugal!

[@jimhardin6667]

Salamat for your information kababayan. I am from the USA planning to retire in Portugal hope I can kababayan

[@burgerfk9106]

"affordable cost of living " , Im sorry to say but that is ONLY to those who come from outside , here in Portugal we win 660 euros to pay 500 euros Rents not counting Walter , electricity , food etc... Is this affordable? Hell no

[@theinfinitelobby]

Thank you for choose our littel country bro!

[@rgraves731]

We were in Porto for 8 months recently and I had a bike accident. The ambulance took me directly to the public hospital, no paperwork required (I just have a tourist visa, no health insurance), was seen in the ER after about a 20 minute wait. I had to have my front teeth pushed back into place, had a CAT scan and a knee X-ray. The whole experience took about 5 hours but didn’t cost me a penny. Hard to believe. I went to a private dentist in Porto for a crown and was charged a fraction of the dental costs in the US. When I returned to the US my dentist said he couldn’t have done a better job. I was later told, by a radiologist in Porto, that the quality of care in public and private hospitals is equivalent, but my wait time might have been less had I been taken to a private hospital. My physician in California agreed that my care was thorough and said to not hesitate when getting care overseas. She even stated that, “American physicians think they are the only experts in the medical field and it is just not true!”

[@OurRichJourney]

Wow Risa!!! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It almost seems unbelievable to get such great healthcare with such an affordable price, doesn't it?! We are so fortunate to be here! :)

[@briankelly1732]

As a dentist, I have to say that 99% of the work I’ve seen overseas is complete garbage. Beware. Especially in the Middle East

[@aussiejim1616]

@@briankelly1732 "Overseas" isn't all poorer countries you know.

[@habi0187]

@@briankelly1732 well my Dentist here in Germany says the same about the US works he has seen.

[@jorgemtds]

@@briankelly1732 But not in Portugal!

[@sofiav540]

I'm a portuguese doctor and, although we are most times understaffed, we (doctors, nurses, hospital staff, etc) really love and care about our patients. I was really happy watching this video, and feel your appreciation. I do hope you daughter is okay now, and we are glad to have such nice people as you in our country. :) If you haven't visited Setúbal yet, I highly recommend paying a visit there. The food is awesome and Serra da Arrábida is beautiful. We even have wild dolphins.

[@i_love_rescue_animals]

Olá! I'm an American living in Setúbal and recently went to the hospital just to check in with my general doctor and to get some prescriptions. Between my private health care and the public system - it cost me zero euros. That's completely nuts coming from the US! I really appreciate you (and Portugal and all the doctors, nurses and staff) too!

[@MiaTheUnicorn]

@Sofia V brigada pelo trabalho que estão a fazer nestes tempos horríveis

[@Claudio-et2tw]

Sofia realmente Setúbal é uma parte do país que não estâ a ser totalmente aproveitada em termos de turismo. Tem um grande potencial. Eu sou do Algarve e nâo se ouve falar muito da tua região. Mas sei que tem lugares fantásticos.

[@anaaguiar6425]

Sofia, a ti a todos os que estão ligados à saúde, e que estão a ser os nossos heróis, o meu profundo é sincero OBRIGADA!! Vocês fazem com que eu tenha o máximo de orgulho em ser portuguesa!!!!

[@andrealeixo1766]

Dear Sofia V, thank you for your hard work! You’re one of the people that make this country such a nice place to live in. Everything the medical staff been doing since covid shows nothing more than a tremendous capacity to overcome difficult situations such as covid. And thanks for this video. It was so good to hear your story and know how well you’ve been taken care of. Finally, Setúbal is indeed a wonderful place :)

[@DiogoF.]

Thanks for shining a light on the Portuguese healthcare system, most Portuguese are unaware of how good it is compared with the rest of the world. 🇵🇹👍

[@OurRichJourney]

Thank you Diogo! Sometimes it's hard to see how good or bad something is until you get to experience the comparison first-hand! :)

[@JoelSantos-lk9tu]

However I must say it is just average or below average for European standards, and unfortunately getting worse because of destructive politicians.

[@LynxLuso]

Joel, permita-me discordar de si. O sistema português é muito bom e acima da média. Claro que poderia ser melhor, mas não fica atrás do sistema britânico (bem pelo contrário!) ou francês. Digo isto como emigrante que vive e experienciou outros sistemas de saúde. Abraço.

[@martimribeiro7538]

@@LynxLuso é bom quando parte uma perna, mas muitos morrem em filas de espera por não ter dinheiro para ir ao privado...

[@rviegasdesigner]

@@JoelSantos-lk9tu in the U.K. my son had chest pains and the GP told me to take notes for 6 months when it happened, on Easter holidays took him to Centro Saúde in Portugal and was proscribed for a series of tests and exams that found a small arrhythmia, that is a typical misconception that is below standard here!

[@catarinamassano8951]

I recognized the hospital immediately!! I am a Portuguese doctor and I went to university in Coimbra (having completed my clinical practice in CHUC, including the pediatric hospital where your daughter stayed)! I can assure you that you were in very good hands :) I am also very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your experience with our healthcare system! Thank you so much for sharing your life in Portugal with such enthusiasm and in such an amazing and caring way! ❤️ Welcome/Bem vindos!

[@azul25]

The HUGE difference between the US and Portugal: in the US, Health Care is a business, the goal is to make money. In Portugal, Health Care is a Human Right! I am Portuguese, from Lisbon, and I can honestly say that I am so happy to have your beautiful family in my country. People like you are more than welcome in my country. Thank you for appreciating what my country gives you. That is a great quality that not many people have, actually; a lot of people go live in another country and only look for things to criticize (online), and do not appreciate any of the good things the country has and gives them, whether it is Portugal or another country. You are the opposite of that, and that shows that you are graceful people with rich spirits.

[@OurRichJourney]

That is so sweet of you to say Ana! Thank you so much!

[@veg9097]

The US is full of POS.

[@robfraguas]

People have to go and work and live in another countries because Portugal doesn't give them the opportunity to have a good life! When people see what it's different and better in another countries it is ok to criticize and point what it is not ok. Portugal is one of the poorest countries in the EU. I don' t know the health system in the US and I agree that health should be a human right. But I have come to the realization that if treated like a good business it can be a lot better for the people who works and uses the system. What seems to happen in the US is a lack of regulation and a lot of middleman profiting. That's what doesn't happen in Europe because we have good governments and treat healthcare as a human right!

[@tatancv]

@@OurRichJourney 24 years in Lisbon and nothing to say . Thank you for share this.

[@zepopi6086]

​@@robfraguas Healthcare should never be a business. Business is for profit, and can never be better for people. It's the human nature to get more and more profit, and people pay it, like in the USA.

[@AndNowIWrite]

Wonderful video! My husband and I moved from the US to Portugal in 2019. We have had wonderful experiences with the healthcare system as well. Leaving the US has felt as if I've left a cult. So much of what we were told is simply not true. I no longer fear walking at night and the people we have encountered here are beyond kind. I fear Americans will never understand that they pay into a tax system that really gives them nothing in return. My best to you, hope your daughters are doing well and thank you for the wonderful videos!

[@TheGreenlove87]

You get the military that specializes in killing innocent people abroad. (Sarcasm)

[@elisabete_costa]

@@duartesimoes508 As a Portuguese myself I can say that yes, Portugal is not a crime-free country. Lisbon, Algarve and the big cities in general tend to have higher crime rates too. But when you compare it to the US or Brazil where these things happen everyday in astronomical numbers, then Portugal must feel relatively safe to foreigners. I have never really liked living here as I just don't identify with the culture but I have to admit that compared to other countries, Portugal is not that bad. If anything, my biggest complaint is the working conditions are poor. It is hard to get a good job, or any job really, and we do not get paid enough. But for retired immigrants that have a good financial situation, Portugal is pretty good - beautiful places, nice weather, good food, good healthcare, relatively low crime rate, ... So, yeah, Portugal is not perfect but it is far from being worse than living in the US, specially in 2021 with everything that is going on over there. Also, I am sorry for your loss. I hope your niece has gotten over that tragic event.

[@davidribeiro1064]

@@duartesimoes508 I'm sorry for your sister's loss. In 2019 there were 89 homicides in Portugal, most of them in a domestic violence context targeting women. Safety is indeed something relative. For what it's worth those 89 homicides translate to about 0.8 murders per 100k which compared to the suicide rate of 9.6 per 100k is an order of magnitude lower. It also compares positively with the homicides of Portuguese nationals abroad in 2019 which were 32, most of them in Angola, France and Venezuela in each of whom 5 Portuguese were murdered. There are safer places to live, I suppose, like Iceland or New Zealand, but from my own experience Portugal is the safer it's been in the past 40 or so years and I never felt truly unsafe to begin with. The last time I was a victim of any tipe of crime was 2010, and the last violent crime attempt was in 1999. Haven't witnessed others being targeted by crime since 2018 either. Compared to the US, or to Brazil from where most of our immigrants come, this is pretty good.

[@sorayaimperial]

@@duartesimoes508 Compare the violent crime rate between Portugal and the rest of the world. Some european countries do fare better than us, but our overall violent crime rate is very very low. When looking at homicides, RASI (well, not the one that came out just this week, because covid turned 2020 into an atypical year, but look at other years) will tell you that the majority of homicides are a) between people who live very close to eachother (domestic violence towards women) and b) between people who know eachother (guy kills his neighbour because his goats came to his lawn then turns himself to the police - this is the reason why Bragança has the higher murder solve rate in the country, BTW xD). Our murder rate by strangers is very low; it's never zero, of course. I have lived in a "high criminality area" (Linha de Sintra), went to school in pretty bad neighbourhoods and always walked back and fro with phone, many times even with my laptop, and was never had a problem and always felt pretty safe. The only crimes I have suffered was gang sexual assault by classmates when I was 9 (inside the school - school didn't do shit, "boys will be boys") and I was robbed for my computer in 2014 in downtown Lisbon in a nice neighbourhood. Drug addict that did have a knife, but was so scared to use it that he didn't even shank my jacket when I tried to beat him up, then ran away. I'm probably the only person I know in my circle of acquaintances that ever got robbed. And I have traveled many years, Almada to Sintra, by public transportation, at the oddest hours of the night, with my laptop, being a woman, and never once had fear. I was also a firefighter that responded many times to a social neighbourhood that was dropped by another firehouse because they were "afraid" and people just have very wrong perceptions, I think. Perception of risk isn't the risk itself. Your perception is higher because you know a terrible case yourself. If the crime rate was high, I would've gotten hired by now, not waiting almost 10 years to get a job in my area (Forensic and Criminal Sciences). The job demand is much higher in other countries than here /shrug

[@mrjones4249]

Duarte Simoes: I live in the US and the city I grew up in was like a war zone. I would hear shooting morning, afternoon, and night. Any stranger coming close to me was always considered a potential threat and I was always ready to respond with violence and it seemed normal to me. Most murders and assaults did not get any real attention unless it was convenient for some political reason. If shooting was not happening close to me I didn't even notice it anymore. It's horrible to live that way.

(Edited) I’m glad your daughter is feeling better now! Some added info: It's free for: Persons with disability of 60% or above Persons with economic distress Unemployed Pregnant Under 18 Blood doners Organ, tissue doners Military and ex-military with disabilities Firefighters Transplanted patients Refugees and asylum seekers (including household) For the rest there is a copay system that’s related with your income. A B C. A - If you earn less than 10k a year, no matter the age, everything is free. B - 50% discount on the copay, I’m not exactly sure of the income here. C - Full copay, but remember, an emergency appointment is maximum 20€. Exams and tests are very cheap (full blood is less than 5€). On all persons, no matter age or income, if you have a chronic desease like Diabetes, all insulin is 100% free. The needles you’ll pay according to your income (A B C) but for example I’m a C, and for a Libre Sensor i pay 7,5€. Hope this info helps. Stay safe!

[@OurRichJourney]

That is FANTASTIC information! Thanks for sharing Humberto!

[@JAdoreQT123456]

Thank you for this information and wow 2 euros max? I had to pay over $2K when having my son while on unpaid maternity leave and I pay over $3K a year in health insurance through my employer. Fortunately, I saved up because I expected it but not having a burden of unexpected medical expenses is a blessing.

[@vitorfelix]

Humberto Gonçalves I must say, adults over 65 is not everything free, it depends of the incoming.

[@EduardodeOliveira]

E o burro do Ventura quer acabar com isso

​@@vitorfelix You are correct, they are still bounded to the income. It's free for: Persons with disability of 60% or above Persons with economic distress Unemployed Pregnant Under 18 Blood doners Organ, tissue doners Military and ex-military with disabilities Firefighters Transplanted patients Refugees and asylum seekers (including household) Law was reviewed on Jan 1st 2021 to include more exams and theuraputics even those done on private hospitals (once the prescription come from the SNS).

[@rosariofurtadoleite9604]

I’m Portuguese and you made me very proud of my country. Txs

[@NicosRap]

As an American, knowing that I can get sick and lose all of the money I have worked for in my life is a very scary feeling.

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes, it's an incredibly scary feeling that people shouldn't have . . . :(

[@AndNowIWrite]

That's one of the reasons we moved to Portugal. So many bankruptcies in the US are due to medical costs.

[@andromedamaxima1543]

buy insurance duh

[@antiloop3000]

@@andromedamaxima1543 That is such a stupid response duh

[@antiloop3000]

@@andromedamaxima1543 Like someone say bellow: "My daughter fractured her ankle last year and it cost us 3k. Out of pocket. After insurance. We only visited the ER and weren’t even kept overnight." There's your stupid solution.

[@simontex33]

I am a Portuguese living in the USA with my American husband. We are in the process of getting my husband Portuguese citizenship. We are a gay couple. Our plan is to retire in portugal.

[@armandopereira1973]

It's very important you are a gay couple....

[@innocentiuslacrim2290]

Good luck in your endeavour! I wish the Covid situation lifts soon as I have plenty of places on my travel list and Portugal is one of those.

[@arctikstorm]

@@armandopereira1973 It's important because Portugal is one of the least homophobic countries in the world, and especially when you consider the low rate of violence and hate crimes in Portugal, which cannot be said for most places in the US. By the way, gays can finally donate blood in Portugal freely without deferral (the US has 1-year deferral, shortened to 3 months at the moment due to covid causing blood shortage).

[@edviges1]

sexual orientation is not relevant. specially in my country.

[@VoltaireMM]

Sejam bem-vindos a Portugal. O nosso Presidente da República, o Primeiro Ministro, o governo e o parlamento português são muito "gay friendly". Contactem a ILGA-Portugal. Felicidades para os dois.

[@danelledautrievesanford]

Thank you to Portugal healthcare team 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes, yes, and YES! THANK YOU!!!!

[@VoltaireMM]

Muito obrigado!

[@sergiobasilio5548]

Muito obrigado por partilhar connosco, portugueses,a vossa excelência! 😎

[@casecold1864]

@@OurRichJourney I have to go to the Dentist, moved from Amsterdam to Lisboa. I'm afraid of needles, so I'm not happy to go. You know any good one?

[@zulfiqarrashid2465]

I also went with my whole family to Lisbon, my son who was 1 1/2 years of age starting choking, and we rushed him to the closest hospital, which was a public children hospital, we were pleasantly shocked with the exceptional medical care in their emergency room with a minimal expense incurred :) Well Done Portugal Health System

[@MyviolentheartEvey]

There is no better country to live. I am Portuguese living now in Luxembourg. If I could have a job in Portugal I would move today. Safe country, nice people, beautiful nature, healthy and tasteful mediterrean food. Miss my country so much! 😪

[@jorgebeja3638]

Me too!!!

[@dudanunesbleff]

Pois, o problema é que para viver aqui, só se for rica. Por isso, não é o melhor sítio para viver, desse ponto de vista.

[@filigoncalves9176]

Realmente é um bom pais, mas, com muitos contando as Moedas com 0 ha esquerda

[@interestedobserver2905]

Thanks for your comment. Reading it reminded me of ONE true thing and that is TWO of my best friends in my life were PORTUGUESE who came to America. Love you guys!

[@querensilva3207]

Me too.

[@xdoughman]

Thank you for sharing your experience! We moved from Canada to Portugal in 2020 and, due to a chronic health condition, I have had many contacts with the health care system in Portugal. Your experience is not an exception! We could not agree more with your assessment. We have been astonished at the very high quality of care, coordination, and access provided by the Portuguese health care system and are very grateful for the excellent care I have received.

[@OurRichJourney]

John - thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's nice to hear we're not the exception!

[@cookmaster3626]

What does it take to become a resident visa holder in Portugal. I guess an investment of 500K in husing. Is there any other way to become a resident. I am from US and getting ready to retire and dont want to pay for Medicatre Part C through Z and no telling what and end up without any money left from Soc security. Any advice please -Thanks in advance

[@yaxinzhang829]

@@cookmaster3626 D 7 visa is good for you to get residence, you only need provide income statement less than 700 Euro/ month.

[@andreao305]

John, I am also Canadian and I am planning to move to Portugal with my husband and mom. We have our money invested in ETF's and will be living off that money. Do you know if we have to pay income taxes here in Canada? I know we do not in Portugal for at least 10 years.

[@FRANKlagosP]

@@cookmaster3626 contact the Portuguese consulate. It is the easiest country in becoming a resident. It is the Florida of Europe. Retirees from all over the world just love it here. I've been here over 7 years now.

[@soniacfer]

As a Portuguese born and raised citizen, I can only express gratitude for your words and feel proud to have you being a part of our people! I wish you the best here with us!

[@casecold1864]

Portugal is the best, and I love all the people here! I learn a lot from the people here, in Holland nobody care about eachother.

[@trains-in-europe]

In Spain we have a say: for the small interventions, you can relay on the private care but for the real problems, you have to go the public one. They are th best.

[@crpth1]

Quite honestly as a Portuguese I have exactly the same perception. Small "stuff", hotel type service, etc. private is unbeatable. Serious stuff, public. No doubts! ;-)

[@abiliocosta8476]

Sorry for not expressing myself in english, because l don't speak fluently Como funcionário de um hospital (público🇵🇹) quero expressar a minha gratidão pelas vossas atenciosas palavras Como seria indelicado dizer "voltem sempre" (seria mau sinal) posso apenas desejar-lhes uma boa estadia em Portugal e garantir-lhes que serão sempre tratados com o maior respeito e profissionalismo (embora hajam raras exceções) Uma vez mais bem-vindos e as melhoras para a vossa filha Abilio Costa (assistente operacional_medicina interna)🇵🇹

[@Maria12345566]

Eu também sou portuguesa, posso traduzir o seu comentário para que mais pessoas leiam as suas palavras :) As a public hospital employee, I want to express my happiness and thankfulness for your kind words. As it would be rude to say "come again" (it wouldn't be a good sign) I can only wish you a nice stay here in Portugal and assure you that you will always be well taken care of, with the highest respect and professionalism (although there are a few rare exceptions) Once again, welcome and I hope your daughter gets better soon Abilio Costa (internal medicine operational assistant)

[@sorayaimperial]

A melhor que tive foi um funcionário que à saída do hospital me disse "então as melhoras e até à próxima" e ficámos ambos em silêncio a olhar um para o outro, sem saber quem se riria primeiro :D

[@crpth1]

@@sorayaimperial - Definitely that's an area of activity where "Come back soon!" Sounds really bad. LOL 😂 😂 In fact "hope you never come back" sounds much better! ;-)😁

[@kimberlyvitalbrasil4049]

I have been in Portugal since September and had to use both public and private services both. I also was incredibly impressed by all my experiences and feel so blessed to be in this beautiful country

[@OurRichJourney]

We feel the exact same way! Thank you for sharing Kimberly!!!

[@TravelnGeek]

I know after 40 years living in Canada and now moving to the USA I had a major shock on the health care system here. Knowing that you can get sick here in the USA which would cause you to go broke and lose all of your retirement savings is scary.

[@celiamartinez3]

Yep so true ! Been living here all my life so I def second that notion!

[@OurRichJourney]

Super scary! Losing an entire retirement savings over healthcare is unacceptable. :(

[@loriquintana4333]

Our healthcare system in the United States is atrocious.

[@PhoenixRain01010]

I work in healthcare and I wouldn't recommend this system to anyone! And it's just as bad for us who work in it

[@chrisminks8183]

do you not have health insurance?

[@TheSallyHorne]

I’m a Portuguese nurse and All I can say is thank you for your kind words. Many many times (or always) we work understaffed, doing our very best to help our patients (whether it’s Portuguese, American, or other nationality). And yes we pay taxes, but have free healthcare services! Welcome to our beautiful country and enjoy :)

[@MariaJose-qf5gv]

Im Proud of my beautifull Country. Happy to know that your Daughter is well. Happy that you'r loving it there. Portugal has been very underrated, unfortunately.

[@OurRichJourney]

Thank you Marie! We always say Portugal is the best kept secret in Europe!!! We love it here!!!

[@emanuelalmeida8238]

I am portuguese and I work as a nurse in Portugal. It is a pleasure to hear about your great experience in Portugal. And I have to do a little correction the healthcare in Portugal is not free, it is tendencially free. Sometimes you might pay a small fee, like 5 or 10 euros but it tends to be free

[@celialuz2679]

Yes, but it is completely free for every child until they turn 18, I suppose it is why no amount at all was charged..

[@RagazzoFabio]

@@skurinski americans pay taxes and don't have free healthcare

[@LHollan]

It’s free for an American point of view... you just play minor taxes

[@joaodias9983]

Hey, I work there! (Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra). Being part of the University Hospital it's quite normal that you saw some junior and at least one senior doctor. Wait times can be quite higher at winter for children with less serious conditions, but the triage should be quick nonetheless

[@OurRichJourney]

We must have missed you there João! And thanks for sharing your experience on wait times!!!

[@damonreeves]

Your message should be sent to the US Congress..We in America Need what you have in Portugal..To Your Family B Well Stay Safe. ✌🏽❤️ So Cal

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes Damon! I wish the states could change the system. :(

[@terra7066]

@@BigSisDoula Free healthcare and education were a Prophet Mohammad's idea adopted by the Christians during the middle ages , the first free schools were the Madrassas. When the Church in Portugal owned property it run the schools and hospitals , with the separation of Church and State (The Crown) the State assumed control of both. A Portuguese law from the early 18th Century before Karl Marx was born and socialism ever existed states that the parents that do not send their children to the King's free schools and have them working in the fields instead have to be penalized by the Crown. The problem is that in the USA the socialists said and keep saying that it was a socialist idea but the truth is that in every single socialist country from the past or today good , free education and healthcare are things that are only offered to the privileged party members. The Knights Hospitaller that founded the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem in 1291 to offer free healthcare to the pilgrims were young men from the European Royalty and best families , they were not socialists. If the Portuguese and other Europeans thought that those services were socialist they wouldn't them either.

[@netby]

Private Insurance business in America will never let anyone take off of their "mouth" that piece of cake 😃

[@jvam16]

@@terra7066 bcz we take healthcare as a human right, not a human privilege for who can pay for it. And all that dicotomy of capitalism vs socialism and there's nothigng in between, is bcz american society are one side dimensional. Socialism is not comunism and there's a lot of ideologies in the spectrum ofnthe left. Hell, neither the "dictatorship of the proletarians" is a Marx idea, its Lenin's idea, how he did get the interpretation of how the ideology of Marx could go from theory to practice. Marx was from the Utopic Socialism, which was something that were created by french and english burgouise thinkers, if not mistaken, one century before.

[@nmanjos]

American Congress Knows very well what a Universal Social Health Care system Looks Like, and in fact since america is so big it could have 50 of those and be efficient and much less expensive, but then all the money coming from the Health industry to keep Americans in economical slavery would not come, all i can say is support Joe Biden and his team even if you are Republican, and you just might get it in 4 or 8 years, but you really have to show to the Government You want it like you did with the Black Lives Matter movement !

[@deolindadavid9661]

I am a Portuguese retired hospital administrator and was very happy with your words! Portugal has a great health system and it is very nice to hear it from the people that use it! Tks

[@DanielCarrapa]

First of all, glad to know you're all okay and having a good experience here in Portugal. I would like to say that the main cultural difference in regards to healthcare is that there is a big contrast in how Americans look at healthcare, from an individual perspective, and Europeans in general, from a collective perspective. Here in Europe, you are not paying your healthcare (which you do, through your taxes) for yourself. You are paying for everyone. AND, everyone is paying for you. So hopefully you won't even need it. But if you do, the system is there for you, because nobody can afford certain diseases, or brain surgery, and nobody should go bankrupt because of that. I do hope to see universal healthcare become a reality in the US. You deserve it too.

[@anaeca]

as a portuguese living abroad, ive been realising how good life is at home and im really considering settling back in the future! thank you for supporting us

[@oteupai.2841]

i did that and i have no regrets. i was making more money abroad that's for sure but that's just no enough.

[@antoniojustodasilva3260]

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence 😉😉😉

[@iyzabel]

I spent over 20 years abroad, when I got home to France, I had forgotten how good the healthcare system was, but was shocked at the ungratefulness of my fellow citizens always complaining. They have no idea how lucky they are!

[@carlossaraiva8382]

I did it last year. I am happy, I love it!

[@casecold1864]

Portugal is my favorite country. Living in lisboa now for 1 year, I won't ever go back. EU SOU TUGA!

[@marcoherminio]

Last year my mother had a knee operation in a public hospital in Évora, south of Portugal and payd zero euros 👍she stayed almost a week there. Sometimes they say the cost of the surgery and it was almost 9 thousand euros...my parents couldn't pay if it was in the United States for example.

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes - the cost in the US is really outrageous!

[@fainitesbarley2245]

I suppose in the US there is an additional vast layer of administrators running the insurance and other payments. This all has to be built into the cost.

[@antoniolima1068]

been several times in USA and when saw a friend of mine sick or hurt and i would ask why they dont rush to the hospital, them they told me about how expensive it is, never realize something we take for granted in Portugal can be so overlooked, public transportation is another exemple.

[@christines5430]

I live in the UK and the thought of getting a bill from a doctor or hospital or ambulance service after being sick is mind boggling to me. More than happy to pay more in taxes, if it means never having to worry about healthcare bills. Thank God for the NHS!

[@pedroteixeira4369]

The Portuguese Health Care System was actually inspired by the UK NHS. Payed by with taxes, universal access.

[@oyaami1874]

Absolutely I have not seen a doctor for several years but happy to pay a bit more if it is free at the point of delivery for everyone else. Education and Medical care for all is worth paying for.

[@Skyjuice70]

You guys are dynamite for posting this. The comfort level I'm at for considering a move to Portugal is all due to you guys. Glad to hear Senoa is doing fine. Bless!

[@OurRichJourney]

Thank you so much! So glad you liked the video!

[@cbuatal]

If you search KZbin for other country in Europe you will see often similar experiences occurred to American citizen because the conception of healthcare is more or less the same.

[@fabiolopes4619]

You will be welcome, and i am sure you will fall in love for this little country.

[@ivanxyz1]

My family has already started to prepare to move to Portugal. Looking forward to a new life there. This video just gave us more assurance that our new life will be an improvement from our current life in the US. I lived many years on three different continents and I can say from personal experience that Europe is a great place. I don't want to say that the US is a bad place. The US has many great things to appreciate. But I can say that overall I feel Europe values the quality of life more. And I really like the walk-able city planning. But the quality of healthcare seals the deal.

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes - quality of healthcare can be the real make or break! :)

[@edviges1]

Make a KZbin channel!

[@FuIIMoonMadness]

​@@sofiacarvalho7545 If you think our healthcare is an illusion you must have never needed it. I have nothing but good things to say about our public hospitals and the people who work there.

[@flashcamping]

@@FuIIMoonMadness Tipica conversa de revoltado, so sabem falar mal, mas no dia que precisarem ate choram

[@joevelasquez2757]

I'm so glad your Daughter is doing better. The worst is when our kids get sick or get hurt. You guys are awesome parents. ❤️❤️❤️

[@OurRichJourney]

You are right, Joe! Sick kids is the worst! Sunoa is feeling 100% better - we're very thankful!

[@TheDrramirez]

I am glad to hear Samoa is well. I am a Doctor moving to Portugal in July and am very happy about this feedback from you guys.

[@sandienochs6132]

I had a complete knee replacement surgery in Portugal. The care I received was absolutely top notch.

[@001ritinha]

I'm Portuguese and as far as I can tell the VAST majority of our university graduates (medicine, engineering, science, etc.) are fluent in English. Most of the course load is in English and many classes are partly taught in English as well. That said, most of our young people are pretty fluent as well. English is taught at the start of school (1st grade for most) and all of our TV/Movies are in English with Portuguese subtitles.

[@sorayaimperial]

I'm a '92 kid (so a zennial, pretty much) and I started learning english with my mom and from videogames (pokemon ftw). Even though I only started english classes at age 9 (5th grade), which was the usual back then, I was already pretty much fluent. I was top of my class all the 7 years of english that I had, maybe because I had that head start from earlier childhood, but even my worst classmates could speak very decent english. Compared to that, I only had french between 7th and 9th grade and I sucked hard; I had a good accent, I can still read some stuff in french with a bit of google translate help, I can watch french movies and sort of follow along, but I couldn't have a conversation in french. And yeah, although I didn't have any classes taught in english (except when foreign lecturers came in), all the course materials were written in english, every book, scientific article, so you couldn't really go by without knowing english at all. But in my last year, I actually mentored a class because they had two british students and the professors's accent (he was a very thick nortenho... that doesn't work well with english) was so terrible that everyone begged him to stop teaching in english (powerpoint in english, but speak portuguese) and I was along as a translator/mentor for the erasmus girls. In my master's degree, since I went into chemistry, we had a boatload of articles to read and the best were in german (long tradition of german in chemistry): guess what we all had to do if we wanted to access the best information for the exams? But my GF's nephew started school last year and I know that right at 1st grade he's already being taught english at school, which I think it's great. He also has spanish classes. Kids pick up languages so much easier than adults; I've been trying to work on my german for ages and I can't progress anything on my own other than the scientific terms.

[@FacundoMD]

ER doc here ! I am not surprise. I feel people get caught up into the AMERICA thing and forget that there is amazing healthcare elsewhere with amazing physicians ! Thank you for sharing !

[@GamerKid-qb5sy]

America loves to give us nothing but medicines never care about getting us healthy! They care more about the money they get from the pharmaceutical companies. I have yet to find a doctor who is not like this in a America. Everytime you ask questions about why this happened how can I prevent it again. They say it happens it’s not bad just take this medicine.

[@ruivitorino1975]

Sim, aqui em Portugal toda a Comunidade paga o Sistema Nacional de Saúde (SNS) através dos impostos. O SNS é tendencialmente gratuito. E é um excelente serviço para a população. Uma das grandes diferenças entre o público e o privado é o tempo de demora para um consulta de especialidade. No SNS espera-se meses! I wrote in Portuguese so that you can practice our language a little more. Best Regards. Rui

[@sorayaimperial]

@@sofiacarvalho7545 Gratuito no ponto de uso (para traduzir do inglês - free at point of use), que é o mesmo que "tendencialmente" gratuito. É realmente gratuito para aqueles que não descontam, e quase gratuito para quem paga impostos (é possível consultar quanto custa a saúde na % de impostos que pagamos, e é extremamente mínima e em países como os USA, nem sequer pagaria dois pontos num dedo com o que descontamos anualmente).

[@rosavilarinho5665]

@@sofiacarvalho7545,há países onde pagas muitos impostos e a saúde não é gratuita! Ex: EUA, FRANÇA E muitos outros!!

[@allanschannel2750]

@@rosavilarinho5665 O gasto é maior do que reportam, e os impostos são tão altos q espantam investimentos, indústrias, empregos e especialmente jovens, todos fogem para o sistema malvado americano.

[@allanschannel2750]

E curiosamente não se vê americanos de 18-40+ anos entrando no mercado de trabalho português por que o sistema bonzinho é o melhor. Acho q assustam ao ver 48% de imposto de renda.

[@paulavitoria1798]

@@allanschannel2750 Pois, no teu país (sei que és brasileiro, pois no Brasil é que se diz imposto de renda) deve ser melhor! E só pagas 48% se tiveres rendimentos acima de 75000€ por ano, ou seja, 5500€ por mês (contando catorze meses de salário, que é outra coisa que no teu país não deves saber o que é).

[@inea-fijourney22]

You keep giving us more reasons to want to move to Portugal! 🤗😳 ... Im glad Senoa is well. 😊

[@OurRichJourney]

With more and more videos, I think we'll have even more and more reasons! :)

[@elenixoxo6413]

Same!!! 😃

[@matheusfrota95]

Be always welcomed around here ! 🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹⚓⚓⚓

[@MiTraFilipesoares]

Avoid going bankrupt, move to Portugal 😁😁

[@domingos41]

Delicious food,welcoming people, excellent health care system, excellent weather, beautiful beaches! What's not to like about Portugal?

[@OurRichJourney]

You summed it up perfectly Joe!

[@antoniojustodasilva3260]

@joe domingos, and no money 😉😉

[@praxz4171]

Awful wages, high rent prices in cities like Lisbon and Porto, corrupt government, rise of populism, aged population that keeps getting older on average because less people are born and more young people emigrate.

[@fainitesbarley2245]

@Trust the Fire Really? These Americans didn’t mention it.

[@RPGMJAY]

Welcome (home :P )to Portugal! When I was young, living in the US is my dream. The more time passes, the more I'm glad to be here. Hope you love your experience too!

[@mimiwallen]

Thx for sharing this, as expats don’t often talk about medical/healthcare in that particular country. Too much romanticizing of the place and not enough realistic living situations. You guys are pretty transparent and I appreciate this!

[@OurRichJourney]

Thanks Mimi! So glad you you enjoyed the video!

[@PhoenixRain01010]

Definitely putting Portugal on my list of places to move! ❤❤

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes! Put it on the list! :)

[@marioazevedo598]

I don't know if you've visited us yet, but I'm sure of one thing: if you come here, you'll never want to leave. :)

[@fabiolopes4619]

You will be welcome, and i am sure you will fall in love this little country.

[@cristinagarcao3245]

I’m Portuguese and I just wanted to say thank you. seeing te way you talk about our healthcare, specially during the pandemic. You melted my heart 💜 We may not have much but we are a country that cares and that doesn’t come with a price tag

[@BaBaYaga1999-p7u]

I love your channel, and very glad to hear your daughter is doing well, and received great care! My wife and I are nurses here in the States, and because we work “per diem” (less than full time), we have to buy our healthcare on the “open market”, and it costs about $1500 a MONTH! Our healthcare system is SICK. Voting counts, folks!

[@johnspence919]

My wife and I will be visiting in the spring to see about relocating to Portugal, so this is good info, john

[@PFC4575]

If you have any serious emergency you should always go to the Public Health Care system. Is better in terms of medical capacities. And is free for any resident or tourist. The Private sector is better in terms of hospitality facilitties and food services.

[@OurRichJourney]

That is fantastic information Paulo! Thank you for sharing!

[@DDanV]

@@OurRichJourney rule of thumb (but mind you, has been changing with each passing year) is public healthcare system for everything that can be a bit more serious or extensive and non-trivial; private for comfort and convenience on scheduled procedures, aesthetic procedures or dental (unfortunately, dental is pretty much private, hopefully it will change in the future), or just plain trivial things (again, for comfort and convenience). Anyway, my mom is a cancer patient (and a medical doctor, retired from active practice for few years now) and she's now being followed on a private hospital. But again, this is one of those exceptions that has been coming with each passing year. The private hospital near her place has oncology services, and her oncology colleague works both private (in that hospital) as well as public (was her oncologist doctor in the SNS until she decided to move to private), so she decided to pay the extra but be close to home whenever she had to go for chemo or follow-up appointments. Comfort and convenience. This is something you get a feel for as you experience more and more of the daily life of the country :)

[@ruiferreira6578]

@@DDanV all the best for your mother. As a doctor she will not pay doctor's fees. And maybe her state health assistance has a partnership with the private sector, making her payments quite small...

[@generatorjohn4537]

My ancestors are from the Azores. My grandparents were born there. This video makes me want to visit Portugal. Thanks

[@moneymasters9256]

We need affordable healthcare in US!

[@bignige]

From Europe, the USA looks uncivilized. How can you possibly have a country where you pay taxes without looking after the basic needs of your people?

[@DutchTresor]

​@@bignige I'm from Holland and I never understood this. Why is America so harsh for its own people when they need health care?

[@morgan97475]

Agreed. Though I've not done any in-depth research, I believe our healthcare system is governed primarily by our health insurance industry whose main goal is to make money (as good capitalist do). That coupled with the pharma industry who are also focused on making money makes me wonder if better regulation of both of those areas would reduce the cost of our healthcare somewhat. Can anyone out there add to this or expand on it?

[@ianwynne5483]

Its called democratic socialism, but that's a word too far for most Americans.

[@TheGreenlove87]

@@judymckee5992 sounds about right.

[@yhsoueu]

Im portuguese, living in the rural area (alentejo). Im happy to hear you were well recieved in the public hospital but sadly, its not the reality for many of portuguese people around the country. I moved here to study in the university and I struggle with health often. Its very hard to find a healthcare provider here that has good service, in some ocasions, even private hospitals have let me down. Im lucky my family is able to afford a really good health insurance, because I sure as hell need it and use it often. One story you will hear very often from portuguese people going to the ER on a public hospital is the very long wait times. Im talking about upwards of 6h sitting in a waiting room sometimes. There have been ocasions where, since there are no healthcare options for non-residents in the city (college students) i was forced to go to the ER and suffer these wait times just because i needed a prescription for antibiotics. In a recent case, I had a severe migrane that lasted for multiple days, and didnt go away with any over the counter medication. Forced to go to the ER, I waited for 6h, with my head against the windows because they were cold and i just wanted some relief, and nothing. My name wasnt called, I fell asleep, woke up, checked up with the reception lady and nothing yet. I was getting worse by the minute and no one would come for me. I ended up leaving, with no care given to me, because i was getting really bad, and i just needed to lie down and fall asleep. The next day I had to travel to another city to find a doctor that would see me. This was a very frustrating episode, but sadly, its a story that has been told too many times, by too many people. If you dont have the privilege of being able to choose between public or private care, you are very often subjected to this type of situation. You can argue that in the bigger cities like Lisbon there is an abundance of high quality healthcare, and its true. But the problem is that rent, and the prices of property in lisbon, per example, have sky rocketed to insane prices, far far from what the tipical portuguese citizen, making minimum wage can ever dream to afford. Its prices that are catered towards people from abroad, with higher relative incomes. With this, any hole in the wall with a door in lisbon can cost upwards of 400 euros every month (when the minimum wage is 600 euros). So you can make the choice, try to live in the bigger cities, and probably not, because your minimum wage for a job you work long hours and with no prespective of upwards climbing doesnt allow you to, or, you move to other areas with lower quality healthcare, and far less job offers. Im happy you have a good experience living here. But its just not the case with many of the portuguese people with normal middle to low class lifes... We, young people, just tend to leave to other countries for a better chance at everything.

[@whiteblueandme]

Sorry about your experience, wishing good health.

[@mcmafalda]

As a doctor I can only say: thank you very much for your words! 😊 stay safe!

[@mbaker8492]

Imagine that. Healthcare when needed, that doesn't bankrupt you (on top of the insurance you already pay for).

[@OurRichJourney]

I know, right?!

[@carpediem4091]

Imagine not even having to pay private insurance and having good healthcare... Because that's possible. ( Ofc you pay trough taxes)

[@Luzitanium]

Portugal went bankrupt 3 times already since the 70s and heading for the 4th soon.

[@carpediem4091]

@@Luzitanium yeah but that's not because of healthcare. If you keep getting money to companies and banks that go bankrupt due to corruption... That's what you get. Just this year instead of letting TAP die like it should they're pumping in money into a failed company that needs money every couple of years and BES ( I mean "novo banco") will need its fix again ofc. After BPN they should've learned to do better Also, don't forget that " little" sheme our government supposedly pulled with EDP that allowed them to NOT pay 100 million € in taxes... Which they are now trying to make dissapear under the rug. Don't forget Sócrates ( our previous PM) is still in court due to a corruption case. And I could be here all day giving examples. Our biggest problem is corruption and nepotism, specially with this government. Portugal has a lot to improve certainly but the healthcare system is not what took the country into bankrupcy and it's not what will bring us to it again ( just in one of those corruption cases one guy took enough to pay for everything in the healthcare system for like 10 years...).

[@antiloop3000]

@@Luzitanium E o Rei, pá? Não safa isto? LOL

[@evettesmalls-cooper8758]

I am glad your daughter is doing better and I applaud the medical services there!

[@OurRichJourney]

Thank you Evette! We applaud the services, too!!!

[@Meowmeter]

There are excellent doctors at our public hospitals too, the problem is the waiting time. My son was involved in a motorbike accident and had to have knee surgery, but at the ER we waited over 6hrs before he was seen by any doctor.....

[@BeatrizPereira-mk2cr]

Same with my mom when we were there on holiday… she waited 8 hrs on a chair and only got a bed about 30min before discharge. This doesn’t happen in Belgium so, for us, it was horrendous how overworked the doctors actually are in Portugal.

[@laroynatownsend473]

Such a blessing all the way around. I'm glad that your daughter is well. God bless & take care.

[@OurRichJourney]

Thanks so much La Royna!

[@RinceCalder]

You are most welcome. God bless!

[@ccsilv]

As a portugueses I feel so grateful for living in Portugal and that you had a good experience and that you were well taken care of ❤️

[@heroyster1194]

Haha that "you can just leave" really resonated! Had the same experience after a 5 day stay way a hospital in the Netherlands. Glad baby girl is well 🙏

[@OurRichJourney]

Haha - Yes! It feels so weird to just leave! LOL!

[@smartcookiefinance]

So great to hear that there was no language barrier and the healthcare system exceeded your expectations when you needed it most! Your experience made me realize what a great healthcare system should look like.

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes - in our experience, it is definitely what a great healthcare system should look like!

[@afvp]

Not to toot our own horn but I think we are a very acommodating nation. We like to make it easier to our visitors and also to seem smart 😂 most of us know our way around 2 or 3 languages from the countries we are more connected to like our neighbours Spain and France

[@sorayaimperial]

Portugal has had a long standing tradition of teaching languages in school. Kids these days learn it even sooner, but as a '92 kid, I had 7 years of (british) english and 3 years of french, mandatory. So pretty much everyone you see will be a) fluent in english, b) good enough to communicate with you without much hassle or c) be absolutely terrible at english but try their absolute best by mimicking and saying portuguese words with an american accent :D Most university graduates will also have full classes taught in english (because of foreign professors and erasmus students), attend many international conferences lectured in english and some even have a specific discipline of technical english, so that they know how to communicate withing their profession in english. The vast majority of people also have family members abroad (especially the UK, France and Switzerland), so that helps. I myself couldn't speak French to save my life, but most people I know could very well communicate in french even without a formal education. And ofc, every portuguese person speaks their own version of spanish (we call it portuñol, the worst but most effective assassination of a foreign language that ever existed). :D We also seem to pick up languages pretty fast. I was a secretary for the medical university for a while, and after two years of dealing with erasmus students, I had picked up quite a fair bit of italian and some german. I did not pick up any polish, even though we had several students each year.

[@arod191]

My daughter fractured her ankle last year and it cost us 3k. Out of pocket. After insurance. We only visited the ER and weren’t even kept overnight. My mind is blown 🤯

[@mldshelly12]

I got the first of many bills from daughter's ER visit, thankfully I have a good savings account for such things but am sure this visit will deplete it.

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes, it always felt like a shock for us to open up our hospital bills in the US. :(

[@raqzta]

@@nickih2130 no!

[@JoseDaSilva-tt5ut]

@@nickih2130 You pay nothing

[@jijiji9520]

Insurance in US are money-making machines, they don't care about people. Unfortunately Doctors and patients are in the middle of this mess

[@isabellasavoy3588]

Im portuguese I have both experiences in private and public. Public takes longer but you have the very nest doctors in public. Some doctors are in both systems. Private is quite affordable to. I am very glad you had a good experience and all people here in the comments. Thats why we pay taxes for access to healthcare its a human right. God bless you and your family.

[@HippieP629]

My mind is racing. Born and raised here in Oakland, Ca. Went to the ER 2 yrs ago for stomach pain. Was there for about 4 hrs, pretty much laying there the whole time. They couldn’t figure it out. The Dr. came in once, essentially shrugged and left. I was given a chest sonogram then was discharged soon thereafter by the nurse with the same “uhh, I dunno. Good luck” shrug. I had a full Cigna platinum family plan. The bill that came in the mail was for $9,500 of which I paid half (in installments) bc of Cigna. Ninety-five hundred dollars for 4 hours. The next move after this upcoming move OUT of Cali in one week, will most def be OUT of the US. I appreciate y’all for the video.

[@rdmf2921]

As an european, i cant imagine paying 9000€ for an hospital stay, thats ridiculous. When we are young we grow up watching american movies and tv series that make us dream of living in the US it all seems so much better than in europe. Then you grow up and realize how fucked up it really is "the other side of the pond".

[@arctikstorm]

I'm sorry Americans have to go through that. Getting sick or getting an education is a debt life sentence in the US...it's free in Europe. And let me tell you, the quality of either of those things is not higher in the US either.

[@thecocreta]

@@arctikstorm don’t get you wrong, it’s not free, you pay a huge amount of taxes for everything...whether you need those services or not. By the time you need to go to the hospital for an emergency you might have paid thousands and thousands of Euros in taxes. Is it better in US though,? Definitely NO.

[@HippieP629]

@@thecocreta Good point about taxes. Socialism and universal healthcare is extremely frowned upon here in the US bc it’s a dog eat dog society. It’s engrained in the dna that each person or family looks out for themselves and step over their neighbor in need. Pay more taxes from MY income?! No way! Now that’s a generalization but for the most part it’s true. BUT... I feel your point about taxes that are paid for used or unused services. “Free” education, etc isn’t actually true. It’s paid for through taxes. IMO the difference between the US and many other countries is the deep seeded sense of entitlement and decades of being brainwashed with “greatest country in the world” over and over and over again. With that mantra, anything outside of the system seems wrong and beneath the current system.

[@sorayaimperial]

@@HippieP629 Yeah, I can't understand it. Just the other day I had an small argument with an american after I explained all the rights that I had a portuguese worker (22 days paid vacation, unemployment, maternity leave, sick pay without a limit of days, holiday and christmas subsidy, protection from termination just because the employer wants to, etc, etc), he kept asking if this was "company specific and how much was deduced from my pay to have all these benefits" and then this guy had the balls to say to me "well, right, but I prefer the freedom of choice". I just asked him what in that list he wanted the freedom to not have and he went "oh, I mean, I'm healthy, why should I pay taxes for health if I never go to the doctor? I have saved thousands that I have put into my investing career by foregoing insurance and paying less taxes. I also prefer to have more money instead of a potential sick pay, because I'm never sick". I asked him if the money he saved would be enough if he got into a car crash and needed both expensive healthcare and to get many months off of work, potentially even getting unemployed because of he maybe got paralysed or something serious like that and he just stopped replying to me. For me, I am happy to pay my taxes and have these assurances - not only I don't know the day of tomorrow, but because there are a lot less fortunate people around me that rely on my taxes to get the healthcare they need (chronic patients, for example, that cannot hold a job due to their diseases). I'm all about financial stability: I could be in the private sector earning almost double than I do now, but I prefer to be a government worker earning less just because this way they can only fire me like if I kill someone or something preposterous like that, while the private sector has at best 6 months contracts and they kick you out whenever they want.

[@acarol82]

Glad all turned out ok! It is all free up until she turns 18. Kids, pregnant ladies (and the first trimester postpartum), above 65 and some other exceptions don't pay. The rest pay, but nothing too expensive. It's very cheap, compared with US, but not completely free

[@OurRichJourney]

Thanks for sharing that!!!

[@pinheirokde]

@@OurRichJourney and to be absolutely clear we are talking about tens of euros max (with the exams). it's moderation fees, so the public system is not overburden by trivial stuff that does not require hospitals to begin with.

[@zayidm3218]

He said that in video. He paid 3 dollars for his colonoscopy. 🤷‍♂️

[@inesalmeida2199]

@@zayidm3218 the colonoscopy was done at a private hospital, since they stated that it was covered by insurance. These moderation fees are for public hospitals, it's not the same

[@gloebmann]

I´m really glad everything was fine with her. Had a similar experience here in Spain, after a surgery and 5 days of recovery in the hospital, I was discharged without any payment. Was surreal, I couldn't´t believe it. Very important issue when you have the option to choose a place to live. Thanks for this amazing channel.

[@OurRichJourney]

You described that so well - it was definitely surreal walking out without making any payment at all!

[@hrhsophiathefirst4060]

I had initially thought about Portugal or Spain for my retirement in 10 years but then I switched to Costa Rica but I am bingeing your videos and I am swaying back to Portugal. Mainly because I want to travel across Europe and I love the food in Portugal. A good democracy functions when the taxes allow the people to have access to education, healthcare and freedom of speech! New subscriber here! Now to do another deep dive and see the cost of living!

[@AndNowIWrite]

Yes Portugal! You also have the Rail system here for travel. I've been here since 2019 and there's so much to see and do here. The Portuguese are very kind.

[@Ninanokax]

I'm portuguese and i'm so happy to hear your opinion on our healthcare. Sometimes we complain about the waiting time at the ER but still, we have an amazing healthcare system. We can assure that everyone has the care that they need, even if we sometimes have to pay a small fee in the ER (they sometimes charge a fee, but it's related to our needs, I don't think they charge if you stay in the hospital). Overall, thank you for sharing your experience :)

[@chuckmurray1825]

Sorry that your daughter had to go through that. Glad the system worked so well for you guys and everything is okay. It's another great informative video and I'm sure you are both relieved. A friend of mine was on vacation in Portugal and got very sick with a respiratory infection. She went to the closest ER which was in a private hospital. They did triage and she saw a doctor ten minutes later. The doctor evaluated her and ordered a series of blood tests. The doctor came back into the room about 30 minutes later with a filled prescription of antibiotics in his hand along with instructions for the next several days. My friend said she was very worried about the bill having no valid health insurance in Portugal but was pleasantly surprised that her entire bill including the lab tests and prescription totaled $111.00. That same ER visit in the U.S. would have taken much longer and would have probably cost around $3,500.00 here in Atlanta. This video clearly lays out one of the main reasons I'm considering moving to Portugal for retirement.

[@OurRichJourney]

Oh my goodness Chuck! That is an incredible story - only $111! That is amazing! Thank you for sharing!!!

[@franciscoaraujo1775]

Sou português e vivo no Brazil, fico feliz pelo tratamento que o País tem dado à todas as pessoas que vivem no país, e especialmente aos estrangeiros, pois eu sei o que é ser imigrante. Me desculpe não escrever em inglês. Um grande abraço direto do Brazil!!!!!!!

[@morfigasoulslayer]

Im a portuguese living in Brasil, Im happy by the treatment that my country(Portugal) provides, specially to foreigns, because I know what being an immigrant feels like. Im sorry that I didnt speak english. Big hug from Brasil!!!!

[@ernestoleitao8684]

We have a beautiful country w helpful caring people, as a portuguese man and naturalized American, I am proud, and happy for your good outcome, godbless you and your family, muito obrigado!

[@mrsiz218]

Ooooh I love love love this!! Sorry for Noey!❤️❤️ As a healthcare worker it was great seeing our new country’s health care system in action! (That was positive thinking right there, can’t wait to make the move!) Thank y’all so much for your transparency and for all the fabulous information you share! I’m sorry, I’ve said it before and I’m gonna say it again, WHO ARE THE FOLKS GIVING THUMBS DOWN TO THIS? Unless they’re downvoting your baby having to be seen, well then I can see but dang! Great content guys! And as usual much love to you and your family! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@OurRichJourney]

You are too kind Angelia!!! Thank you so much!!!

[@FranciscoTC]

As a portuguese and a med student your good experience with our healthcare system makes me proud and keeps me motivated! Love your channel, keep it going!

[@BMahinalaniM808]

Both my sisters were born in Azores, Portugal & watching your videos speaking about the area makes me want to visit. So happy Senoa is OK 💙🙏🏼

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes, I can see how Portugal can be a country you miss if you're away! Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@MarianaC192]

Hi guys, congrats for the great video! I'm Portuguese and I was very happy to know about your perspective. Sometimes we take things for granted and we don't stop to really appreciate how good they are. Probably someone already mentioned but... if I need to go to the ER I have to pay a fixed fee. Last time was 18.50€. Some years ago was 20€. But we don't have to pay for additional costs like medication administered, exams or ambulance. However some people don't pay a thing, for example, if they are unemployed. And there is a line, Saúde 24, that you can call before going to the ER. You talk with some nurse and/or doctor and if they recomend you to go the hospital, based on your symptoms, they send an alert to the nearest hospital with your information and you don't have to pay the fee.

[@firecrackerNJ2CA]

I don't know what it is about you guys but I always look forward to watching your videos in the morning over my cup of coffee. You're so knowledgeable and lovely and I wanted to thank you for the time you put into these informative videos.

[@OurRichJourney]

Wow, thank you so much! That is so kind of you to say! See you next Sunday over that cup of coffee!!!

[@anad9576]

You guys made me cry of happiness , for having a great service from our health care system in Portugal, well come to Portugal. ❤️❤️😘

[@JenShea]

Great video :) As a Canadian I am used to not paying money to see a doctor or a specialist... or to pay for Xrays, etc. My daughter lives in New Jersey and I'm often appalled at what she has to put out of pocket, even though she has a 'supposedly' good insurance through work. Unbelievable. Grateful Portugal is similar. You cannot tell me that our taxes are high... New Jersey taxes are incredibly high and you get nothing for it!

[@pedro161977]

The beautifull thing is that you already paid in advance the privilege of free universal healthcare for EVERYONE by paying your taxes. Universal healthcare is a great equalizer and makes me happy to pay my taxes. Glad that Canada has it, glad that Portugal has it, sad that the US still is lagging behind.

[@joanamachado145]

I am Portuguese and I am really happy to know that you love our country 🌿🥰

[@TheEGA4421]

I am so glad that Sonoa (sic) is doing better!!! I worked in hospitals (USA) for many years and I can tell you that the USA has nothing on Portugal or many other countries when it comes to patient's being able to pay for health insurance. If taxes in Portugal and many other countries pay for healthcare...why do not the USA follow and do the same thing? In this day and age there is no reason why anyone should be concerned about health insurance.

[@OurRichJourney]

Totally agree Tonya!

[@DDanV]

"If taxes in Portugal and many other countries pay for healthcare...why do not the USA follow and do the same thing?" Like someone wrote in their comment before, in the US healthcare is a business while in Europe it is enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights. But we didn't need the convention to say it so, we've considered to be a Human Right even before that (and because of that it ended up on the convention). Also it's a no brainer: health is a concern, it affects the wellbeing, productivity and happiness of everyone and not only the one person who's sick (and I'm talking about personal and public health as well)... if you address the problem head-on, without giving it time to grow to a bigger problem, it is better for everyone and the cheaper as well. Now... in the US it's a business, full stop. Regardless if there are public hospitals (fewer with each passing decade, and lacking funding), healthcare in the US is a business: from pharma and medical equipment to staff and everything in between. People often say that if pharma and equipment industry, and such, if they are not allowed to make buck then there'll be no medical advances, and that's a fallacy because: 1) the argument implies that in Europe pharma and medical equipment industry doesn't make buck, when they do but not obscene amounts as in the US. 2) the incentive in countries like the US, for those companies, is to milk it the most they can instead of coming up with an actual cure. And it's way more lucrative to turn a fatal, or slightly less serious, disease into a chronic disease than to find a cure for it so there's a the incentive to make a real cure stupidly expensive and a therapy for a (now) chronic disease a bit more affordable (because the patient will spend their entire lives giving their money to the company, and if there's hardly any regulation it can become predatory really fast.... i.e. look at the insulin prices in the US and compare it with Canada or any European country... and mind you: in Canada and in Europe those pharma are making profit!!!).

[@TLMT97]

As a portuguese healthcare professional, working and living in the Algarve, and dealing with mostly english speaking people, I hear the same feedback. But trust me when I say, that, everytime someone says things like you say, about our country, it makes me (and so many others) so proud an happy. It's a very good feeling to know that, even though, we're "so small" in land, but we have so much to offer in other factors. And for you to be able to see those qualities, really makes us feel happy and blessed. Keep up the good work, and thank you very much for this video 🙏🏻 Greetings from the Algarve, and we hope to see you back soon

[@randyo6019]

Glad baby girl is ok! Praying for y’all.

[@OurRichJourney]

Thank you so much Randy!

[@larissa3m]

I am a foreigners living in Portugal already year and a half and i can back what they say about private hospitals. I never waited more than 10 minutes for appointments and in emergency rooms. Same with tests in the emergency rooms. And doctors and nurses are super kind, and speak english to me.

[@triceptive]

Glad to hear your daughter is doing well. 6 more years and we are moving to Portugal.

[@havanessachica]

What a blessing to have free health care. It’s a stress buster and elevates our quality of live. I am considering moving abroad and after taking in several of your delightful and educational videos on Portugal-I now proclaim you “Portuguese Ambassadors”!

[@bklyntraveler9705]

It’s so good to hear that Senoa is well! After watching so much about your lives I (and I’m sure others feel the same) feel very connected to you and your family. You are all so personable! All my best to you and your daughters. You’re making it easy to choose 🇵🇹.

[@OurRichJourney]

That is so sweet of you to say Alannah!

[@marcuscosta1988]

I'm Portuguese and thank you guys for this meśsage and great support and promotion to our country best for you guys and your family to thanks youu

[@mhadaegh]

Thank you for sharing. More Americans need to see this so they can stop defending our bloated, bureaucratic, profit driven healthcare system in the U.S.

[@casecold1864]

Most Americans never crossed the border of that shithole. That's why they still there, if they crossed the border they would never look back.

[@Fred-uf7bl]

So happy to feel that you are in love with Portugal. Portugal is in love with everyone. We were already in love with you before you arrived. Welcome home!

[@bonitahill5239]

Thank goodness! all was good with your lovely daughter! My heart goes out to you both. My goodness when it’s your child it means the universe to get the best care from a wonderful caring hospital staff. Portugal sounds wonderful. So happy all is better 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧😇😇😇😇

[@OurRichJourney]

Bonita - you are the sweetest! Sunoa is feeling fantastic now!!!

[@sergiorolo3721]

With that name you would have no problems in Portugal! "Bonita" is the portuguese word for beautiful 😄

[@litaylor3543]

I am Portuguese living in the USA. Your video gives me the desire to move back to Portugal. Thank you for your video. I love Portugal, and now their healthcare workers too.

[@jmclay4317]

Glad to know she is well. Y'all stay healthy and safe. A Blessed Sunday to all.

[@OurRichJourney]

Thank you so much JM!

[@gyroscopicme]

I'm glad your daughter is doing well. So nice to hear how nice the healthcare was to deal with.

[@OurRichJourney]

Yes! Thank you!

[@louisedutton7066]

So glad for the great experience and Sunoa is doing better. This is definitely an eye-opener!

[@OurRichJourney]

Thank you Louise! So glad to share our perspective with you!

[@johnycricket8743]

Sou um gajo simples, vejo "Portugal" e clico! Loved the video guys, it's amazing to witness foreign people enjoying ones home country, thank you!

[@OurRichJourney]

❤️❤️❤️

[@KO-wu2og]

Glad all went well for your daughter. My last experience at an American hospital was a rude affront, before I could leave the room, a staff member from billing appeared in the room asking me how I wanted to pay and was ready to take my payment! Wow! Still deciding between Spain and Portugal but I am clear on the fact that I am leaving the US!

[@OurRichJourney]

Wow - such a terrible experience! :( Everyone was so professional and kind with us here in Portugal!

[@anoukc6928]

This is so sad! It isn't like that in Canada. I stayed 5 days at the hospital after complications due to my pregnancy and the only thing I paid was for a bag of chips from the vending machine 🤣

[@nichall8941]

I moved to Portugal two years ago and have very affordable private health insurance. The quality of medical care here is excellent and the hospital staff incredibly friendly

[@Needmysunshine]

If you know, you know. This family sharing this experience about interacting with medical professionals and getting the best care is invaluable especially coming from the interacting with the US healthcare system.

[@OurRichJourney]

Aww, thank you so much!!! :)