Minhacienda orders to pay maximum budgets of 2022

The recognition of this debt is based on article 153 of Law 2294 of 2023, which establishes mechanisms to regularize Payments for services and technologies in healthy health charged to the Capitation Payment Unit (UPC).

(See: ‘We do our best to not sacrifice services’: Profamilia)

For this reason, it is established that the measure also responds to the commitments acquired in the health emergency by the Covid 19 pandemic, whose financial effects still impact the Colombian health system.

As explained by the Ministry of Finance, the administrator of the resources of the General System of Social Security in Health (ADRES) determined and liquidated the value of the budget adjustments, establishing that these must be paid charged to the debt service of the General Budget of the Nation for Validity 2025.

(Read more: The Moorose Portfolio from the Fomag is triggered)

For this reason, the certification issued by the Superior Council of Fiscal Policy (CONFIS) on January 27, 2025 approved the inclusion of these payments in the financial plan of the current year.

(Also read: Disists of human talent in health in the rural areas of the country persists)

However, the document details that the resources will be distributed among different EPS, both of the contributory and subsidized regime. Among the entities with the greatest amounts to be received is the new EPS, which will obtain more than $ 281,476 million between both regimes.

Meanwhile, of the taxpayer, Sanitas will receive about $ 95,110 million, while EPS Sura and Total Health will receive $ 55,694 million and $ 53,783 million, respectively. Famisanar is another of the entities that will obtain resources for $ 26,457 million and compensate EPS for $ 22,504. It should be noted that 13 EPS who will receive a total of $ 467,197 million.

(See more: Pulse for health financing: tensions between government and court)

On the other hand, those that stand out in the subsidized in addition to the new EPS, are EMSSANAR with reimbursements for $ 53,865 million, ASMET health with $ 46,378 million and the Mutual Association to be a solidarity company in Health with $ 34,696 million. For this case, these are payments to 19 EPS that total about $ 352,469 million in total.

Finance in Health

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Impact and distribution of resources

The Ministry of Finance and Public Credit has arranged that the General Directorate of Public Credit and National Treasury transfer these resources to the ADRES in four staggered disbursements for $ 200,000 million in February, March and April, and a final payment of $ 219,667 million in May.

(See: Court rejected request for clarification of the UPC submitted by the Ministry of Health)

However, the representative to the Chamber for the Democratic Center, Andrés Forero, denounced that from the Ministry of Health, by Guillermo A. Jaramillo, The Order of the Constitutional Court on the adjustment of the maximum budgets of 2022 was unknown. “Although the Court ordered to pay the $ 819,000 in 48 hours, they will pay quotas. While they challenge and make fun of justice patients suffer”He said.

To this situation was added the former Minister of Health, Alejandro Gaviria, who said that the portfolio is challenging the Court with the debt for the amount mentioned above that it should pay in 48 hours. “He now says that he needs four months to pay what he owes. Meanwhile, patients suffer”He said.

(Read: MINSALUD says that he is not in a situation of contempt with respect to the courts of the court)

Additionally, among congressmen there is an environment of uncertainty, because, according to representative Luis Miguel López, Yesterday the deadline that the Court had given for the complete turn of the resources was overcome, but the Ministry of Health did not manage them.

“What happens if they are not turned? As it happened in 2022: Colombians run out of access to medicines, exams, medical appointments, etc. No more improvisation with the lives of Colombians, this is already the height of irresponsibility”, He said.

Responsibilities

Now it is worth noting that The resolution also establishes that it will be the responsibility of the ADRES to distribute the funds between the EPS and ensure that they reach the final beneficiaries.

In case of resource reimbursements by health entities, ADRES must return them to the accounts indicated by the Subdirectorate of Operations of the General Directorate of Public Credit and National Treasury.

(Also read: Why grew health access barriers in the country for cancer patients)

The crisis generated by the pandemic and the delays in the payments have put in check the financial sustainability of the EPS, affecting the provision of services to millions of affiliates. “This is an effort of the government to guarantee compliance with obligations with the sector and maintain the continuity of health care”, Says the resolution.

However, The process also implies transparency and control challenges. The rule makes it clear that the veracity of the information reported for the allocation of these resources falls exclusively on the legal representatives of the EPS. In case of inconsistencies or fraud, they could face criminal, disciplinary and fiscal sanctions.

(See: How long can EPS postulate maximum budget payments, according to ADRES?)

With this payment, the Government seeks not only to clean up accumulated debts but also to give greater stability to the health system in the future. Nevertheless, questions persist about the sufficiency of these resources to meet the growing needs of the sector and prevent new lags from payments to medical service providers.