Maria Fernanda Carmona Guzman
The health reform, one of the key projects of the Government of Gustavo Petro, could finish sinking in the session of the Seventh Commission this Wednesday.
In this Tuesday’s session in this wing of the Senate, The opposition managed to exercise its right to establish the agenda, and with this he managed to make the discussion of the project the only point on the debate agenda.
It should be noted that while the Government hopes to convince congressmen to postpone the debate until April 9 to seek new consensus, The nine senators who support shelving the project ask that a vote be taken this Wednesday, April 3, a scenario in which, today, the Government’s project would collapse. Also present is Félix León Martínez, president of Adres (the so-called health bank) and the director of National Planning.
However, one of the main changes promoted by the text is the transformation of Health Providing Entities, EPS, into Health and Life Managers. With the alternative proposal, this section remains, except that it adds that this new manager can be created under a new legal entity and authorizes them to assign people to the Primary Health Care Centers, Caps of their preference.
Around 8:30 am the senators began to arrive at the session. The first presentation on the agenda is the file of the project requested by the opposition.
During the session, a protection was filed against the congressmen of the Seventh Senate for alleged violation of due process in the processing of the project.
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Plenary session was postponed to continue the debate
The Senate plenary postponed the start of the session to 5:00 pm, while the debate on the health reform continues in the Seventh Commission.
Seventh Senate Commission denied all the impediments that were presented
The Seventh Commission of the Senate completed the processing of the nine impediments that were presented in the process of the health reform. All were denied. Now comes the study of the presentations.
Senate plenary session, which was scheduled for 12 noon, was moved to 3 p.m.
The Senate Plenary Session, which was scheduled for 12 noon, was moved to 3PM in the afternoon. The debate on health reform can continue in the Seventh Commission until that time.
The Seventh Senate Commission denied Norma Hurtado’s impediment.
The vote was 8 votes for no and 4 for yes.
The Seventh Commission denied Two impediments presented by Senator Berenice Bedoya were denied
Two impediments presented by Senator Berenice Bedoya were denied by the Seventh Senate Commission. The vote was 8 for no and 5 for yes.
The Seventh Commission denied the two impediments presented by the senator of the Democratic Center, Alirio Barrera
5 votes for yes and 8 votes for no.
“The decisions of the commission are above the board of directors”: Miguel Ángel Pinto, of the liberal party
“Yesterday it was a proposal made by the commission, and that decision that was made by the majority, with all due respect, is above the decisions of the board of directors,” says Pinto.
“Let’s continue with the topic and not delay this debate any further, we are dealing with the impediments, the Minister of Health is already here, whom we also want to listen to,” he adds.
There is tension in the Seventh Commission: Clown who?, says Senator Martha Peralta to the Senator of the Democratic Center, Honorio Enríquez
Friction between Martha Peralta and the senator of the Democratic Center, Honorio Enríquez. Other senators intervened to fix the situation and continue the debate.
Voting begins on impediments that have been presented in the framework of the debate
The vote on impediments that have been presented in the framework of the health reform debate begins. At this moment, that of Senator Honorio Enríquez is being discussed.
The Seventh Commission denied Senator Enríquez’s impediment with 10 votes no and 1 yes.
The session in which the health reform will be discussed began
Around 8:30 am the requesting senators began to arrive at the session. The first presentation on the agenda is the file of the project requested by the opposition.
The session in which the health reform will be discussed began. 10 members of the Seventh Senate Commission are present.