Health reform: the extraordinary powers that Petro would have

The health reform one of the flagship projects of the President Gustavo Petro, already settled in Congress and it will begin its path to become a reality.

(See: This would be the transition to the health system that the reform proposes).

The proposal has generated a multitude of criticisms and there is an article that has attracted attention. It is about 151, which, more than on health issues, speaks of extraordinary powers that the president would have.

Punctually, the article 151 says “authorize the President of the Republic for a term of six months from the effective date of this law to“, among other things issue “labor provisions so that people who work in the sector have fair and decent working conditions, with stability” either dictate “conditions for the recruitment and selection of those who would be the directors of state hospital institutions“. The faculties also propose that the president, in this period, would be endorsed to “modify and complement the regulations on public health.”

(See: With health reform, is it going back to a figure similar to Social Security?).

There are six extraordinary faculties that the president would receive, if the health reform is supported in Congress, and they are:

(See: Health reform confirms the fears of the EPS).

1. Issue labor provisions to guarantee fair and decent working conditions, with stability and facilities to increase the knowledge of human talent in health, both in the private and public sectors.

2. Dictate labor provisions for public servants of the health sector to guarantee the merit, as well as the conditions of recruitment and selection of the directors of the State Hospital Institutions.

3. Establish applicable procedures to the administrative and jurisdictional actions in charge of the National Health Superintendence and the sanctioning regime that corresponds to it to apply.

(See: ‘Allow the reforms’, President Petro’s request to Colombia).

4. Modify and complement public health standards.

5. Dictate additional provisions that are reserved by law and that guarantee an orderly process of transition of the General System of Social Security in Health to the Health System, in accordance with the provisions of this law, to guarantee the fundamental right to health. In the transition process, payments for services rendered in this period must be guaranteed to health service providers on a regular basis; dictate the inspection, surveillance and control provisions that are required to guarantee the essential conditions of the essential public health service; and establish incentives so that in the transition the Health Promotion Entities converge towards the purposes of the health care model established in this Law.

6. Dictate the provisions and carry out budget operationss required to capitalize the New EPS in the transition period, as well as issue the corresponding organic provisions for its proper operation.

(See: Members of a single household must be enrolled in a single EPS?).

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