It is well known that the health reform proposal delivered by the Government on February 13 to Congress has caused multiple comments from different political, social, economic and other sectors. To the surprise of many, the 180-page document prepared by the Ministry of Health, directed by Carolina Corcho, was even harshly criticized by members of the Government cabinet who consider that the proposal has some problems and risks.
But the discussion has gone further, since it seems that the members of the Government, who are known for their technical work: José Antonio Ocampo, Alejandro Gaviria, Cecilia López and Jorge Iván González, presented a document to Carolina Corcho and Gustavo Petro, later that they both asked him with their suggestions and it seems they were completely ignored.
According to what was mentioned by W Radio and Cambio magazine, the presentation of the suggestions of the four members of the cabinet took place in the office of Laura Sarabia, but it did not unfold in the best way. Well, Corcho’s refusal was almost immediate, like that of the president, who has been a strong defender of the official who previously also accompanied him in the Bogotá administration.
Apparently the discussion and the difference between the two radical sectors in the way in which it was proposed to increase the amount and coverage, because while Corcho’s office and the president think about transforming attention to a completely public system, from the other ministers who had previously been in portfolios and, for example in the case of Gaviria, he served as health minister for 6 years, it is best to turn the model to the mixed.
“The document of the dissenting ministers and the national director of Planning – a document that is still unknown at this time – suggests that a mixed insurance system be created between the State and the current Health Promotion Companies, EPS,” Daniel Coronell wrote about what a source who was at the meeting mentioned to him.
Despite the efforts of the other members of the cabinet to submit suggestions that would serve to feed the proposal of the also psychiatric doctor, apparently nothing was included because there is no middle ground in the discussion, since the minister of health and the President Petro consider that in a mixed model only the private sector would benefit, the gaps continue to increase and it is a model based on neoliberalism.
Given what was mentioned by the national media, on the morning of this February 20, the president pointed out through his official Twitter account that what was mentioned was false and that although the meeting took place, it was a space for complete listening and discussion.
“That’s not true. We lasted hours of meetings, for several days, together. Discussing and evaluating the health reform in detail”, reads the message written by the president of the nation and accompanied by the note published by the magazine Cambio.
For now, the pronouncement of others of those mentioned is not known, but it is important to highlight that in the case of Alejandro Gaviria he has made it clear that not because he is part of the Government he will leave his opinion aside, but rather that he seeks that his perspective feed the discussion . with Infobae