Hi Carol, I am a relatively new US expat 5 year cancer survivor living in Lisbon. I want to thank you for your article as I´m still learning the ropes as far as cancer treatment here is concerned. I was initially told that if I provided proof of continuous coverage in the US from my diagnosis until the present, I could get medical insura…
I am a relatively new US expat 5 year cancer survivor living in Lisbon. I want to thank you for your article as I´m still learning the ropes as far as cancer treatment here is concerned. I was initially told that if I provided proof of continuous coverage in the US from my diagnosis until the present, I could get medical insurance. However I was turned down by Allianz and am now on MGEN, for which I have to pay out of pocket for the first year. So, I´ve had to pay for my own scans and even some surgery I required which was quite expensive. Because private insurance would not cover chemo, I have had those treatments in the public system. As some of your responders have already noted, chemo is pretty standard and about the same as in the US clinics. I haven´t had the chance to use Champalimaud yet, but your readers have given me some new ideas.
In general I´ve found that Portugal oncologists work with standard treatments such as chemo, radiation and surgery, but are not knowledgeable or open to many alternative treatments. In order to get some of the newer immunotherapy treatments and vaccines, I´ve had to go outside of the country and pay for the treatments myself, a somewhat disappointing situation. In particular, I´ve used high dose vitamin C between chemo sessions in thew US very successfully to help my body withstand the damage that chemo does, but I cannot find it here. If you know of anyone who is on high dose vitamin C for cancer, please let me know. Contact me at: jaynedutra100@gmail.com or WhatsApp 913.534.740
Hi Carol,
I am a relatively new US expat 5 year cancer survivor living in Lisbon. I want to thank you for your article as I´m still learning the ropes as far as cancer treatment here is concerned. I was initially told that if I provided proof of continuous coverage in the US from my diagnosis until the present, I could get medical insurance. However I was turned down by Allianz and am now on MGEN, for which I have to pay out of pocket for the first year. So, I´ve had to pay for my own scans and even some surgery I required which was quite expensive. Because private insurance would not cover chemo, I have had those treatments in the public system. As some of your responders have already noted, chemo is pretty standard and about the same as in the US clinics. I haven´t had the chance to use Champalimaud yet, but your readers have given me some new ideas.
In general I´ve found that Portugal oncologists work with standard treatments such as chemo, radiation and surgery, but are not knowledgeable or open to many alternative treatments. In order to get some of the newer immunotherapy treatments and vaccines, I´ve had to go outside of the country and pay for the treatments myself, a somewhat disappointing situation. In particular, I´ve used high dose vitamin C between chemo sessions in thew US very successfully to help my body withstand the damage that chemo does, but I cannot find it here. If you know of anyone who is on high dose vitamin C for cancer, please let me know. Contact me at: jaynedutra100@gmail.com or WhatsApp 913.534.740
Thanks again for writing about this! Jayne
Hi Jayne,
Thanks for your comment. I'm traveling this week but I responded to your question via email so be on the lookout for it. -CW