Healthcare in Brazil

Depending on where you are in Brazil the Public Healthcare System (SUS - Sistema Unica da Saúde) can range from very good to extremely poor. I have used SUS,in various cities, exclusively since coming to Brazil over ten years ago and really do not have much to complain about.

During that time I was hospitalized in Belo Horizonte - MG for a heart problem. I was rushed to Odilon Behrens Hospital in Belo Horizonte when I collapsed while strolling along the walkway at Lagoa da Pampulha. I woke up in an Emergency room that would rival that in any major city in the world. The treatment I received equalled the surroundings - world class all the way. I remained hospitalized for over a week and have nothing but praise for the treatment that not only I was receiving but that everyone else around me was getting as well. At first I thought I was receiving special treatment because I was a gringo, but I soon saw with my own eyes they teated everybody just as well as they were treating me. SUS payed for everything.

I have had retinal surgery and ongoing weekly eyecare for over a year at São Paulo Hospital, again all covered by SUS. The only real complaint that I have with this is that firstly one cannot book an appointment over the phone, only in person (bit of a drag), and that there is no specific appointment time so you have to show up when the clinic opens at noon and wait until your name is called. The service however, again top-notch.

I have had Emergency Dept. treatments in São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and in Porto Seguro - BA. All of these were attended with the speed that the case merited, no excessive waits. The treatment was always more than adequate. The staff were alway polite and very friendly. Being a gringo who speaks fluent Portuguese has always helped in these situations, the staff are always much more conversant and excited to meet you... they are always full of questions.

Public Health Clinics (Posto de Saúde) in São Paulo and in Belo Horizonte, despite the long waiting periods, are just fine. I have gone to various clinics over the years for minor health problems and the treatment has always been adequate. The benefit of the Public Health Clinics is that they almost always have a pharmacy and the medications that the doctors prescribe is given to the patient free of charge.

Private Hospitals and Clinics - I have only used private hospitals three times over the years. These are very expensive if you do not have a private health insurance plan.

I see news reports all the time about how bad the SUS is here in Brazil, however I have never had the slightest problem. I guess really it all depends on where you live.

The only major complaint that I have with healthcare here in Brazil is not so much with the SUS, but rather with the various levels of government. In every city where I have lived there are much needed hospitals and Emergency Clinics (UPA - Unidade de Pronto Attendimento) that have been constructed and fully equipped a long time ago and have never entered into service for various reasons, all of which are generally politically motivated. This in my mind is a crime equal murder.

Hi,

In order to help expats and soon-to-be expats, we would like to invite you to share your experience on this topic, with updated info on the healthcare system.

Thank you in advance,

Julie
Expat.com Team

Best thing in Brazil is their health care system - the Brazilians just don't know it.
It's free, almost good, relatively fast, especially for emergencies, no paperwork, and relative sanitary - some of those features far surpass the US system and near the Canadian system.
Lots of Brazilians I know have had major and emergency surgery for no money with no problems.
My experience in Brazil:
I was living in Belo in 2014 and was bitten in the face by a pit bull. Went to the nearest big Health System Hospital (SUS)  at about 10pm with my Bzn wife. Not crowded at that hour. Went to the front desk, a nurse met me as I approached (I had a blood dripping down my chin through a towel) and asked what happened. I told her; she saw the holes and said I needed to see an MD and probably have stitches and a tetanus shot. Doctor saw me w/i 5 minutes, stitched up my lip, gave me a shot, some antibiotics, and sent me on my way. That was all I needed and I knew it. They NEVER EVEN ASKED MY NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  -no $$, no paperwork, just treatment.
I have US medicare and the Brazilian health service is much much cheaper and better than medicare - Medicare charges US$110/month and the client (me) would pay 20% of the US hospital bill and have to mess with forms.

In response the question -
My experience is that Brazilian health insurance is cheap, offers the best hospitals with great accommodations.
Usually 0% deductable, 0% co-pay, US$200-600/mo.
Well worth the money because you get 5 star hotel treatment.
The free system suffices, but within Brazil Unimed, Golden Cross, etc excellent!

Go49ers,

While I would tend to agree with your assessment of emergency services in large cities in Brazil, it is not necessarily like that in all. I'm fortunate that here in Macaé the emergency services are excellent.

I've had personal experience in BH with the emergency health care at Odlion Berens Hospital and it is excellent, however João XXIII and Venda Nova are substantially different.

In São Paulo (capital) it varies greatly from hospital to hospital too.

No matter where you are in Brazil, non-emergency medical treatment is precarious at best. You have to wait in line all day at the Posto de Saúde just to get an appointment that may be anywhere from 3 to 6 months off in the future. For non-emergency treatment or routine checkups it's far better here in Brazil to go to a private practice doctor and pay for the consultation.

Cheers,
James      Expat-blog Experts Team

Hello,

I´d have to agree with all as stated herein. Have lived here in Icarai (Niteroi) and Angra dos Reis going on twenty years now and do not have much to complain about as to SUS. Sufficient, courteous and most times very competent but the waiting & lines piss me off. Can´t complain because I don´t have to pay a dime when all is said & done.. Try that in New York!
On the flip side, I´d have to add that Unimed (private coverage) is expensive and on a scale of 1 thru 10 I´d give it a 7.5. A bunch of appointment settings, approvals for anything major, some additional costs but the doctors are top notch and the door is open to some of the best staffed hospitals around.
A lot of problems with the public health care system here but if you know how to work it in your favor..... you´ll survive nicely. Good luck if´n you´re a newcomer!

I am a newcomer and the employee had provided me the healthcare insurance, with 20% of cooperation from my side, however coming from India I am curious to know how the healthcare system works overall ? For any non-emergency consultations/checkups, do we need to wait for months for getting appointment (public and private) both ?
Is there an exception for kids (assuming, we can't wait 10 days for a kids checkup obviously).

The private healthcare system covers visits to private physicians and private hospitals. There are no unusual waits for making appointments, being attended or having medical procedures.

The public healthcare system, SUS - Sistema Única da Saúde is ok for emergency treatments but beyond that it takes months to get an appointment to see a doctor and waits at hospitals for non-emergency treatment can be extremely long.

Cheers,
James

Do you have any recommendations to purchase a Brazilian health insurance policy in Rio in order to apply for the Student Visa? I don't have any insurance from the US.
Also do you know if it will be a problem obtaining since I am currently illegal and did not get a CPF. Can I
still purchase health insurance from within Brazil or would I need to buy an international policy from outside Brazil to meet the health insurance criteria?

I also heard I can obtain my CPF if I return home and apply thru my local consulate. Is that true?

If you are presently illegal in Brazil and don't have a CPF there isn't ANYTHING that you can do, much less apply for medical insurance.

Cheers,
James

Figured as much. So if I were illegal but had my CPF I would be able to?

You know there are websites that generate random CPF numbers. I used it to pay for my Brazilian SIM card actually. I wonder if that would work. Maybe not for this eh? You would think they should check this stuff to see if it matches.

Still no, because you would also need your RNE number or passport and valid visa

Illegal in Brazil, false CPF, what else? Do you really expect that people on this forum will give consultation about cheating the system? By becoming illegal, you accepeted to enter in a world of uncertainty and insecurity. This is for people who are "adventurers" and don't get sick. And now asking for a private insurance...sorry you cannot have both.

Yes I know. It's not my style normally. My apologies. I'm just kicking myself so much for not getting my CPF before my visa expired. I so badly want to stay but I want to become legal so now looking at the Student Visa or Business Investor Visa option. I understand I will have to leave at least temporarily with either of those options, but since I'm here just trying to see what I actually can do from here! I don't like having my hands tied and not being able to do certain things. But hey I'm illegal right! What do I expect

Just a quick question! I see that public health is free but if you have no visa could you still get treatment? In the case of emergancy? Or sickness, pregnancy? ... I never get sick but would be good to know as I thought I would need to seach for a private doctor and pay them for anything I need, not having insurance or a visa . Thanks!

I've never had a private doctor ask for my ID (or my wife's ID) on any of our visits. We just show up and wait for our turn.

I just happened to have gone to the emergency room today (public hospital) and they asked for my ID.

I really have my doubts that they would ever refuse to treat someone without a visa or ID though. But I'm sure James has the answer to this.

Some expat on here posted not too long ago that he had to go to the emergency room for something and they fixed him up and he left without them even asking for a name.

*Edit* Haha, I just saw that the expat ("Go 49ers") posted his story in this thread about the emergency room not even asking for name