Health users exempt from fees in primary health care, announces Secretary for Health
The Regional Secretary for Health revealed in Ponta Delgada that "Azorean health users will no longer pay health care fees," which will be applied only to emergency services.
“Health fees represent a minimal sum in the regional health budget and are lower compared with the rate in force in Mainland Portugal,” said Teresa Machado Luciano. According to her, "the amount of fees charged only accounts for 0.68 percent of the regional health budget, and so this measure will not have an impact on revenue."
The Regional Secretary spoke after being heard at the Committee on Social Affairs of the Legislative Assembly, noting that we intend to promote "the proper use of Emergency services, which are only meant for urgent situations."
Questioned by journalists about health fee exemptions in emergency services, Teresa Machado Luciano stated that “there are criteria for the exemption of users beyond the financial insufficiency criterion, which represents about 71 thousand health users.”
“They are not the only group of health users to be exempt from this fee. In fact, children, pregnant women, blood donors and firefighters” are also exempt, the Secretary for Health said, stressing that “exempt health users stand at 35%."
Regarding overdue patient travel payments, Teresa Machado Luciano stated that "the amounts are all settled in the three regional hospitals; there is only a residual amount of less than one percent at Ponta Delgada Hospital, whose payment procedures will be quickly solved."
As for the recruitment of a physiotherapist for Corvo Island, the Regional Secretary for Health mentioned that "the process takes place under normal procedures" and the deadline "shall end by these days."