How much is the deficit in the Colombian health system? This is what the figures say

The health sector is in intensive care due to the financial crisis it is going through.

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The situation has led to a deterioration in the financial indicators of the Health Providing Entities (EPS) to the point that, to date, the State is already in charge of the health of about seven out of every 10 Colombians. This considering that Nueva EPS and Sanitas, two of the largest EPS in the country, are under intervention.

Added to the above is that other entities of this type such as Sura and Compensar have requested their voluntary withdrawal from the system before the Health Superintendency. A request motivated by the difficulties faced in financial matters.

Although initially it was estimated that the system’s deficit was around 11.4 trillion pesos, the firm Sectorial.co recalculated this item, placing it at 16 trillion pesos for the period between 2020 and 2023.

According to the analysis carried out by the entity, the values ​​would be distributed as follows:

Of the 6.7 billion pesos that the Government calculated for the Punto Final Agreement ($5.2 billion from the contributory regime and $1.5 billion from the subsidized regime), It is estimated that 1.2 billion were pending to be drawn.

On the other hand, the historical insufficiency of resources to cover the costs and expenses of the system (UPC and Non-UPC) It is equivalent to 14.7 billion pesos. This figure includes the value of Nueva EPS’s alleged hidden invoices, which total 5.5 billion pesos.

As the strategic manager of Sectorial.co., Alejandro Escobar, explained to EL TIEMPO, “The imbalance that was being omitted in Nueva EPS, to which one in five Colombians is affiliated, significantly alters the entire average of the health system.”

This is how, when taking these data together, it is averaged that the gap in the financing of the Colombian health system amounts to 16 billion pesos.

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The report also analyzed how much the health system would need to ensure its sustainability.

Although an amount of 89.7 billion has been budgeted for 2024, The data indicates that this would amount to 99.6 billion pesos. For this calculation, the increase in accidents, the new inclusions in the Health Benefits Plan (PBS) and the increase in inflation were taken into account.

In this context, the system would face a definancing of 9.9 billion pesos this year and by not having corrected the estimated historical shortfalls, the total shortfall would amount to $26.5 billion.

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BRIEFCASE
*With information from EL TIEMPO – SALUD