Supersalud met with leaders of 27 EPS: 'The government has not chosen to liquidate, waiting for a reform'

Health Superintendent Giovanny Rubiano met with leaders of 27 EPSs. During the meeting, the superintendent discussed the report published by the Comptroller General's Office on the sector's financial status.

Rubiano agreed with the Comptroller's Office that the financial conditions of the health system are structural and that, in his opinion, it is necessary to reflect, "without dispassion and with certainty in the data," on whether what is happening in the health system is a problem of lack of resources or lack of control in the use of resources.

He also asserted that the national government has chosen to intervene to administer, not to liquidate, because what it seeks, he said, is to prevent the bankruptcy of EPSs, providers, and other actors in the sector. "The government has not chosen to liquidate, waiting for a structural reform of the system that will allow for the incorporation of resources and efficient public health management strategies across the country," the superintendent stated.

The government has not chosen to liquidate, waiting for a structural reform to the system

Rubiano also referred to the importance of billing for services actually provided and demanded greater oversight and better auditing of accounts from the EPSs. "What is recorded is what was provided, and the EPS cannot continue the process without first verifying and auditing it. We need to develop these efficient controls from the very filing of the invoice," he said.

The Supersalud Superintendency's statements were made before 27 EPSs, convened by the Superintendency to work together to improve access to health technologies. The meeting, which ended at noon on Tuesday, focused on presenting the guidelines and creating a participatory and joint work plan to address innovative proposals to improve access to medications and other health technologies for users of the General Social Security Health System (SGSSS).

Among the notable topics discussed at the meeting were: the implementation of the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC) resolution, which allows EPSs to negotiate jointly with the pharmaceutical industry through Resolution No. 35379 of 2025, to achieve greater efficiency in the purchase of medicines and other technologies.

In addition to the implementation of Circular 019 of 2025, which is not a new instruction, but which prohibits administrative barriers to access to health technologies, especially for patients with chronic, non-communicable and high-cost diseases, it has yet to be fully implemented by EPSs, service providers, and pharmaceutical managers.

The superintendent concluded his remarks by reminding the public utilities (EPS) that the debts accumulated by the EPSs ultimately affect the system's users. Therefore, he insisted to the EPSs present that they must work to achieve greater efficiencies in the sector.

Environment and Health Journalist