Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s Health Reform: Tackling Private Insurer EPS Sanitas in a Political Showdown

As President Gustavo Petro faces challenges in Congress with his efforts to reform Colombia’s healthcare system, his government has taken a new step to assert control over one of the country’s largest private insurers, EPS Sanitas. The health superintendent announced the intervention in EPS Sanitas, which serves 5.7 million users and is part of the health group Keralty SAS.

The leftist leader and his officials, including Health Minister Guillermo Alonso Jaramillo, have been vocal about their concerns regarding certain insurance companies. In response to the proposed reforms, private health insurance workers in Bogota staged protests on November 27, 2023.

President Petro sees intervening in EPS Sanitas as a tactical escalation against resistance to his attempts to transform Colombia’s conservative economic model. Despite pushback from lawmakers and institutions, President Petro’s government remains committed to making significant changes to the health system by intervening in EPS Sanitas. They aim to further their efforts to overhaul the country’s healthcare infrastructure.