Members of the SNA said that the payment system will stop working on March 31

The National Federation of Health Care Providers warned this Monday that from the 31st the system of payment to contracting parties will no longer work, holding the Ministry of Health responsible for not taking the necessary procedures.

“In connection with the entry into force of the new organization of the SNA, 31 new local health departments were created on January 1, 2024, which replaced the regional health departments in financial responsibilities for the provision of health care in their area of ​​​​operation. However, to date, compliance with the contractor payment system by local medical institutions has not been confirmed or guaranteed, and it is unknown what they will do from March 31 regarding this payment system,” said the federation’s secretary general, António Neves, as quoted in the report.

Not having a system to pay contract workers, the same source said, would have “catastrophic consequences” for both the industry and patients.

“A complete lack of determination on the part of the SNS on this issue will lead to the immediate strangulation of the financial units of the agreed sector with very serious losses for patients, since each unit that does not have the financial conditions to operate will not be able to guarantee users access to health services, additional diagnostics and therapeutics “, – preserved the structure.

In 1997, the state established a regime that stabilized payments for health services in the agreed sector. Currently, “with inaction” in preparing for and transitioning to a new organizational reality, “there is a devaluation of more than 100 million annual acts of the agreed sector,” defended the federation, which claims to represent about a thousand health care providers. .