Portugal government grants aid to private patient transport companies

The Portuguese government has announced it will include private non-urgent patient transport companies in a financial support package under Decree-Law no. 199/2026. This measure aims to mitigate rising costs associated with fuel and AdBlue.

The decision follows threats from these companies to initiate a slowdown in Lisbon, arguing they were being discriminated against by previous aid packages. Industry representatives, including the Portuguese Ambulance League (LPA), noted that companies have been operating under 2023 price tables, making it impossible to pass increased operational costs—such as fuel, vehicle maintenance, and oxygen—on to the National Health Service (SNS).

Private companies handle approximately half of the more than four million non-urgent patient transports recorded by the SNS in 2025. These services are critical for oncology treatments, hemodialysis, physiotherapy, and hospital transfers. The Ministry of Health stated that the decision recognizes the importance of these companies in ensuring patient access to healthcare and addresses concerns regarding the sustainability of these essential services.