The Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, is attending a hearing at the Assembly of the Republic today as part of the specialized assessment of the OE2026 proposal, which outlines an expenditure of over 17 billion euros for the health sector.
According to the explanatory note provided by the government for the hearing, the SNS is projected to have a cumulative consolidated deficit of -1.352 billion euros in 2025, based on the national accounts methodology. This marks a deterioration of -1.134 billion euros (522.3%) compared to the initial estimate of around a 217 million euro deficit for this year.
The difference between the initial and final estimates is attributed to a revenue shortfall of 562 million euros and expenditure exceeding the forecast by 572 million euros.
“In 2026, an accumulated consolidated deficit of -1.133 billion euros is estimated, reflecting an improvement of +219 million euros (16.2%) compared to the final estimate for 2025,” the government adds.
The consolidated account of the SNS is prepared based on expected income and necessary expenses, and it does not provide information on assets, liabilities, and net worth. It encompasses local health units, Portuguese oncology institutes, the National Institute of Medical Emergencies (INEM), and the Institute for Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (ICAD).
This group accounts for about 95% of the health budget program.
