President Petro responds to request to transfer resources to health insurance

Through a letter addressed to the Minister of Finance, Ricardo Bonilla, health actors requested the Government transfer $2.5 billion from the Ministry of Health’s operations towards health insurance. The measure would aim to guarantee resources to cover the transfers by the Per Capita Payment Unit (UPC) and maximum budgets approved for this year.

(More context: Health stakeholders ask to transfer $2.5 billion from the PGN to the system)

After this request was made known, President Gustavo Petro spoke out through his X account and indicated that the Executive will not carry out this budget transfer Considering that this year the UPC would have risen more than established by law

The president also referred to the technical reserves of the EPS, highlighting that there is money there that has not yet been found.

“No, gentlemen. This year the UPC for EPS grew 12%, 6% above inflation. There are tens of billions of pesos of lost technical reserves”the head of state indicated.

(See: mpox virus: Colombia is among the 5 countries with the most positive cases)

What the petition says

The letter, which has the support of just over 160 signatories, states that the grounds for the request are based on the fact that the Ministry of Health decided to appropriate $5.05 billion for uses other than those originally planned in terms of insurance, prioritizing areas that, although important, require investments with new resources and “not be subject to the displacement of resources that are currently used to provide health services.”

The group believes that while resources have been used to improve infrastructure and staff capacity, resources for the Capitation Payment Unit (UPC) and maximum budgets They must be turned over in a timely and priority manner as a means of protecting the fundamental right to health.

“The remaining resources are necessary to finance the UPC at the end of the year. To date, and in accordance with the pace of spending through May, an additional minimum of $2.3 billion will be required for this item. The UPC finances more than 97% of health services and is the guarantee of the fundamental right.”they mention.

In this context, the Treasury Department was asked to prioritize public spending on health and budget reallocation will be considered in order to achieve this. “to meet the minimum commitments of the national government with the guarantee of the fundamental right to health of all Colombians.”

(More news: Senate President denounces Congress paralysis due to lack of budget)