News Details

It was published today, January 17th, in the Diário da República (Portuguese Official Gazette). Decree-Law No 15/2024, which amends Decree-Law No 202/96 of 23 October 1996 establishing the disability assessment scheme for persons with disabilities for the purposes of access to the measures and benefits provided for by law.

Among the changes made, we highlight the extension of the validity of medical certificates of multi-use disability until a new evaluation is guaranteed. For the purposes of granting and maintaining economic, social and tax benefits, the certificate must be accompanied by proof of submission, by the date of its expiry, of the application of the new medical committee for the assessment of disability.

This Decree-Law also makes changes to the rules on the composition and operation of medical committees for the assessment of disability. These joints are created at the initiative of the Local Health Units, with at least one for each grouping of health centres or Local Unit. Applications for assessment of disability are addressed to the president of the board of directors of the Local Health Unit of the area of habitual residence of the interested parties, accompanied by the medical report and other relevant documentation.

Also noteworthy is the definitive provision for the transitional and exceptional regime in force for the assessment of disability in the case of newly diagnosed cancer patients who wish to benefit from the attribution of a minimum degree of disability of 60%, within five years after diagnosis. In these cases, a specialist doctor from the health unit where the diagnosis was made, other than the doctor who follows the patient, is competent to confirm the incapacity and issue the corresponding medical certificate for multipurpose incapacity.