"I booked a visit at the Cup and then didn't turn up. Is it fair that I still pay the ticket?"

I had booked a specialist visit through the CUP, but due to an unforeseen event - my car suddenly broke down - I could not show up on the day of the appointment. I was told that I would still have to pay the co-pay fee: is that correct? What should I have done?

Yes, in most cases there is an obligation to pay the co-payment fee even if the appointment has not been made. According to the provisions of the Ministry of Health and regional regulations on co-payment of health care costs, anyone who does not turn up for a booked appointment without cancelling it in time is still required to pay the co-payment, even if they are exempt due to income or pathology.

The measure serves to counter the phenomenon of non-cancellations, which generates waste and contributes to longer waiting times for other citizens. The regulatory reference is Decree-Law No. 73 of 7 June 2024, 'Urgent measures to reduce waiting list times for healthcare services'. In particular, Article 3, paragraph 5, provides that booking systems (CUP) must allow cancellation at least two working days before the service, even remotely. The Regions autonomously establish the modalities and deadlines: in general, the cancellation must be made 48 or 72 hours in advance via CUP, online portal, or toll-free number.

On the other hand, those who do not turn up for documented health reasons or force majeure (e.g. hospitalisation or a sudden emergency) are excluded from the payment obligation. In these cases, it is important to forward the supporting documentation to your health authority as soon as possible.

Cancelling a visit in good time is a gesture of responsibility towards oneself and towards others: it means helping to make the health service more efficient and allowing those who need it to access treatment sooner.