Juan Carlos Giraldo, director of the Colombian Association of Hospitals and Clinics, said that the financial crisis of Nueva EPS is jeopardizing national healthcare services.

The situation is critical because the insurer's inability to pay its providers threatens the continuity of medical care for more than 11.5 million users [1]. This instability risks a systemic collapse of the healthcare network, particularly in regions already facing service closures.

Nueva EPS has been under government intervention since April 2024 [2]. Despite this oversight, the entity has accumulated a million-dollar debt with hospitals and clinics across the country [3]. The impact is being felt nationwide, with significant disruptions reported in Bucaramanga and the Valle del Cauca region.

Jorge Iván Ospina, the interventor of Nueva EPS, described the scale of the financial shortfall in May. "Le debemos casi a todo el mundo," Ospina said [3].

Medical providers are now calling for urgent measures to prevent further deterioration of patient services. The financial strain has already led to some health service closures in Valle del Cauca, affecting both Nueva EPS and Fomag affiliates. Giraldo said the true impact of the crisis is felt by the patients who cannot access necessary treatments due to the payment deadlock between the insurer and the clinics.

Proposed solutions to the crisis vary among stakeholders. The government is currently evaluating a potential merger between Famisanar and Nueva EPS [4]. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical guild has proposed the creation of an emergency technical table to address the payment arrears [5].

“"Le debemos casi a todo el mundo"”

The crisis at Nueva EPS represents a precarious moment for Colombia's healthcare model. Because the insurer manages a massive portion of the population, its insolvency does not just affect one company but creates a domino effect that drains the liquidity of private and public hospitals. The tension between the government's intervention and the actual payment of debts suggests a gap between administrative control and financial recovery.