UPC 2026: actores advierten que la prima no es suficiente y que va a crecer el deterioro del sistema de salud
UPC 2026 sube 9,03% en contributivo y 16,49% en subsidiado. Foto: iStock
TL;DR
- The Ministry of Health announced a 9.03% increase for the contributory regime and 16.49% for the subsidized regime in the UPC for 2026.
- This represents an additional $11.6 trillion in health insurance resources, an overall increase of 12.94% in UPC funding.
- Health sector actors, including Pacientes Colombia, the Colombian Association of Hospitals and Clinics, and Afidro, deem the increase insufficient to cover financial deficits.
- Concerns are raised that the UPC increase does not account for the 23% rise in the minimum wage, which heavily impacts healthcare system expenses.
- Patients Colombia highlights that insufficient UPC leads to unreceived treatments and risks to patient lives.
- The Colombian Association of Hospitals and Clinics requests the government to mandate that EPS increase contracts and tariffs for IPS to reflect the UPC rise.
- Afidro emphasizes the need for rigorous and transparent UPC calculation, warning of a potential breaking point for the system.
- Acemi points out that the 9.03% increase for the contributory regime is effectively a 4-4.5% real increase after accounting for inflation, and it excludes the impact of the minimum wage hike.
- The health system is projected to close 2025 with a deficit of at least $10.2 trillion, according to ANDI, due to a 105.9% increase in claims.
- ANIF reports an increase in out-of-pocket healthcare spending from 14.2% in 2021 to 16.8% in 2024, amounting to $14.5 trillion.
- Patients may wait over 250 days for medications, indicating increasing access barriers and direct impact on patient health.