Late payments in the National Health Service (SNS) soared to 616.4 million euros in August, the highest value since August 2018as reported by Público.
This increase occurs even after the Government increased financing by 200 million euros in July, intended to settle debts older than 90 days relating to the purchase of medicines and devices.
Between June and July, the financial reinforcement had a temporary impact, allowing a reduction of 77 million euros in late payments. The value of overdue debts fell from 547.6 million euros in June to 470.5 million in July, according to data from the SNS Portal. However, this effect was not maintained in the long term.
Xavier Barreto, president of the Portuguese Association of Hospital Administrators, points out to Público that the The central issue of late payments “is the underfinancing that continues”. He argues that, to avoid the accumulation of debt, it is necessary to finance hospitals “adequately”.
Barreto explains that “we are not talking about an increase in global financing, because this money is paid, but at the end of the year, with an injection of capital. Therefore, it is better to give it at the beginning and allow hospitals not to accumulate debt from the beginning”.