Five bills presented by Chega, BE, PCP and PAN to reinforce the sickness allowance for cancer patients were rejected this Wednesday in Parliament, with the Socialist bench voting against.
Chega’s legislative initiative, which provided for the Payment of 100% of sickness benefit for cancer patients and for parents of children with this diseaseit obtained the votes in favor of Chega, the Liberal Initiative, the BE and the PAN, against the PS and the abstention of the PCP, PSD and Livre.
A bill presented by the sole member of the PAN, Inês de Sousa Real, which aimed at guaranteeing the right of accompaniment to hospitalized young people when they reach the age of 18it also failed with the votes against the PS and in favor of the other parties.
A second diploma from the PAN for the payment of 100% of the sickness subsidy and the assistance subsidy for minors with cancer obtained the vote against the PS, the abstention of the PSD and the vote in favor of the other benches.
The PCP diploma, which defended the reinforcement of the payment of the sickness allowance for situations of tuberculosis and chronic diseases, including oncology, was rejected with the votes against the PS and PSD, in favor of Chega, PCP, BE, PAN and Libre and the abstention of the Liberal Initiative.
Regarding BE’s legislative initiative, which sought to increase the sickness allowance granted to serious, chronic or cancer patients, the PS and PSD also voted against, in favor of Chega, PCP, BE, PAN and Livre abstaining from Liberal Initiative.
A PAN draft resolution was approved, without the force of law, which recommends that the Government strengthen measures to protect children and young people with cancer, with the abstention of the PS and PSD and the remaining parliamentary benches voting in favor.
In the debate on these bills that took place on Tuesday, the socialist deputy Irene Costa assured that “this is not the path”, but the one that “the PS has traveled over the years” with consecration in the government programs of various measures.
“It is important to point out that the subsidies for chronic illness and cancer are exempt from contributions to the IRS and Social Security, which means that the percentages of the subsidy for illness correspond, in practice, to a progressive payment that varies between 74% and 95% of the net salary”, stressed Irene Costa.
In addition, measures were implemented by the Government for workers with oncological diseases, the PS parliamentarian also added, exemplifying the Decent Work Agenda, which established a “set of advances in their rights” such as teleworking.
Irene Costa has also recalled the extension of parental leave up to six years for parents with children with cancer, which is associated with the attribution of a subsidy in the daily amount of 65% of the beneficiary’s salary.
Source: Observadora
