Portugal is introducing a state co-financing scheme covering 15% of the cost of obesity treatment medications, but the support will be available only to patients enrolled in specialised hospital care programmes.
A decree dated 22 October sets out the conditions for reimbursement under Category D. The scheme does not extend automatically to everyone who requires obesity medication, restricting eligibility to patients receiving non-surgical treatment through Multidisciplinary Obesity Management Groups (EMO) attached to Local Health Units (ULS).
Patients Must Follow a Comprehensive Treatment Programme
Under the new arrangement, obtaining a prescription alone will not be sufficient to qualify for state support.
Eligible patients must participate in a comprehensive treatment programme that combines medication with planned physical activity, nutritional support and psychological care.
They must also maintain an active medical record in line with the Integrated Care Pathway for People with Obesity (PCIPO).
The pathway was established last year under the National Programme for Obesity Prevention and Control, led by Portugal’s Directorate-General for Health (DGS).
Only Designated Hospital Specialists Can Prescribe the Medication
The scheme also places restrictions on which medical professionals can prescribe obesity treatment drugs for reimbursement.
Only endocrinologists, internal medicine specialists and paediatricians who are officially members of the core EMO team at the relevant hospital facility are authorised to issue prescriptions under the programme.
Doctors outside these designated teams cannot prescribe the medication under the state co-financing arrangement.
Access Depends on Enrolment in Specialised Hospital Services
Although the government is establishing financial support for obesity medication, access will depend on whether patients are already receiving care through the designated hospital system.
Applicants must meet the programme’s eligibility requirements, participate in the multidisciplinary treatment process and comply with the prescribed care pathway.
The 15% reimbursement therefore applies to a restricted group of patients rather than the wider population seeking obesity treatment.
