Ana Paula Martins, the Health Minister, responded on Monday in an interview with Jornal da Noite da SIC regarding the government’s controversial announcement to exempt populations affected by forest fires from healthcare fees, which have not been part of the National Health Service (SNS) since 2022, except in non-referred emergencies.
The social-democrat minister expressed her shock at the statement from former Health Minister Marta Temido on the issue.
“Minister Marta Temido was the one who created this legislation, and she knows she did not eliminate all healthcare fees,” she remarked, reminding that “we still have healthcare fees in all non-referred emergency cases” generating “23 to 24 million” in revenue.
“These populations severely impacted, losing their homes, clothing, and medications, shouldn’t have to pay fees because they didn’t call the SNS 24 line,” she argued.
For Ana Paula Martins, this is a case of “positive discrimination.” “The entire country stands in solidarity with these communities […]. It is more than fair,” she noted, emphasizing the need for those affected by fires, including firefighters, to access pulmonology and internal medicine consultations.
Fee Exemption? “I Confess I Trembled”
Last week, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced, among other measures, the “exemption of healthcare fees and free medication distribution through SNS units” for all populations affected by forest fires in Portugal’s Northern and Central mainland regions.
The announcement sparked immediate controversy, prompting a reaction from former Health Minister Marta Temido, who noted that fees have not existed in the SNS since 2022, except for non-referred emergencies.
“I confess I trembled upon hearing this. Healthcare fees have not existed in the SNS (except for non-referred emergencies) since May 2022. In such difficult times for so many families, it is important that communication is precise and clear — people deserve confidence and truth,” stated the now Socialist MEP on the social network X.
Depois de mais de 20 dias de incêndios rurais, um Conselho de Ministros extraordinário aprovou, hoje “45 medidas”. O Primeiro-Ministro destacou, entre as primeiras, o reforço dos cuidados de saúde nas zonas afetadas, incluindo a “dispensa de taxas moderadoras”.
Confesso que…— Marta Temido (@marta_temidops) August 21, 2025
Amid the controversy, the Government clarified that the Prime Minister referred to “emergencies for non-referred patients,” the only healthcare fees still in place.
According to the Central Administration of the Health System, the most recent applicable legislation dates back to May 27, 2022, adjusting the fee regime in the SNS.
The decree-law, signed by Marta Temido and in effect since June 1, 2022, states that fees are waived in emergency service attendance when there is prior SNS referral or in cases resulting in admission through emergency services, meaning fees are only applicable in non-referred emergency attendance if no admission occurs.
Emergencies Are “Better,” But “Still Not Good”
Beyond the fee issue, the Health Minister also discussed the state of emergency services, obstetrics, and temporary staff in the same interview.
Ana Paula Martins stated that emergency services “are better than last year,” though she admitted they “are still not good,” attributing improvement mainly to “coordination work done by the Executive Board [of the National Health Service]” and “the hard work and sacrifice of professional teams.”
The Health Minister argued that emergency services “are better than last year,” citing the weekend of August 15-17, when eight obstetric emergency services were closed in 2024, compared to four this year.
Notícias ao Minuto | 22:45 – 25/08/2025
The minister acknowledged, “it is obvious we have a very serious human resources issue, with doctors and nurses. It is also obvious this won’t be resolved in one legislative term.”
Regarding the proposed law preventing external service contracts with doctors who have left the SNS or new specialists who have not signed contracts with the state, Ana Paula Martins explained the measure aims to “ensure fairness.”
“We reached about 213 million euros in medical services, 42 to 44% performed by private companies and the rest by doctors on a personal basis,” she remarked. “Our aim is not to penalize doctors. It’s to ensure fairness between what we pay per hour to a temporary doctor and one working within the SNS.”
The minister illustrated that contracted doctors for specific tasks receive between 47 to 100 euros per hour, while SNS teams earn 36 euros per hour.
