Controversies continue to surround the EPS, as the recent audit report issued by the Comptroller’s Office has revealed questionable financial practices of eighteen Health Promotion Entities (EPS) in Colombia.
According to the report, these EPS diverted close to 9 billion pesos into areas unrelated to medical care over several years.
Among the irregularities found, the advances granted to clinics and hospitals belonging to the EPS themselves stand out, as well as million-dollar payments to Service Providing Institutions (IPS) that were not related to the services provided.
The Comptroller’s Office has indicated that these funds, originally intended for medical care, were used in unauthorized activities, such as investments or the payment of accumulated debts from previous years, actions that are expressly prohibited.
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Given the announcement of the investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office into the EPS involved in investments in sectors not related to medical care, the Colombian Association of Comprehensive Medicine Companies (ACEMI) issued a statement in which it highlighted fundamental aspects in relation to the pronouncement of the Comptroller’s Office.
“On February 19, the Comptroller’s Office published a document on the financial situation of 26 EPS with the IPS, which reveals alleged financial indicators. Three days later, the union sent its observations to the Comptroller’s Office, requesting to review the methodology used to guarantee consistency in evaluation”reads the document.