Public (SNS) vs. Private Healthcare

The SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde) is the public system, nearly free for residents. It handles serious emergencies, surgeries, and chronic care excellently but has long wait times for non-urgent specialists.

Private insurance (Seguro de Saúde) is recommended for faster access to routine appointments (dermatology, ophthalmology). Most expats use a mix: Private for speed, SNS for serious issues.