INSS Temporarily Doubles Atestmed Sick-Leave Limit to 60 Days Through April

Overview

• Under a joint portaria, Atestmed approvals based solely on documents can cover up to 60 days for 120 days, reverting to the 30‑day limit in May 2026.
• The INSS will add nonconsecutive documentary leave periods toward the 60‑day cap, after which claimants must undergo an in‑person medical exam.
• The measure confirms legal validity for benefits granted before publication, offering greater legal certainty to approved and pending cases.
• The government will fully fund complementary exams requested by peritos via reimbursement or clinic agreements, while INSS and Dataprev must implement authenticity checks and quality controls within the 120‑day window.
• The INSS extended a digital service pilot that enables some services on Meu INSS without prior scheduling and allows phone requests to shift to Atestmed, steps aimed at cutting a queue that reports indicate exceeds 1.2 million perícias.