2023-12-05 00:57:47
After a complicated advance through the legislature, this Monday the health reform was just five articles away from ‘seeing white smoke’ in the plenary session of the House of Representatives. The controversial project, whose discussion has been stopped on several occasions, saw slow progress today with the approval of four articles, but was faced with a ‘wall’, the controversial article 42 that stopped the discussion.
(Also read: The fiscal green light for health reform is missing | Analysis by Ricardo Ávila)
Those approved today were 1, 2, 3, 8. While 42, 122, 123, 128 and 143 were pending. The first articles of the project are widely disputed in that they establish the object and field of application of the law. These are the ones in charge of establishing the “spirit of the reform”, so it is expected that there may be extensive debate in their discussions and there will be multiple proposals on the wording.
In the debate last Thursday, November 30, the Minister of Health, Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo, celebrated together with other members of the Historical Pact the progress of the reform
Photo:
Néstor Gómez – El Tiempo
(Also read: ‘We are nine articles away from approving the health reform’: Martha Alfonso)
Article 8, on the organization of territories for health management, refers to the territoriality of the system. For its part, the controversial article 42, which defines the conditions for appointing the directors of entities such as public hospitals, was the wall that prevented progress today. There was controversy regarding this in recent weeks because there was a proposal that simplified the text of the reform and left the requirements as they currently are, at the discretion of governors and mayors.
The other issues to be discussed are prior consultations with indigenous, Afro and other communities; the extraordinary powers of the President to capitalize the New EPS and the validity and repeals of the project. Although we are very close to approving the project, it is not clear if everything will go ahead on Monday or other debates will have to be invested. Several sectors have warned that the plenary session of the Chamber has focused solely on the reform and there are 90 projects that are stalled and at risk of sinking due to this blockade.
The Government has managed to give the impetus that was missing to the project that, on several occasions, has stalled in the House of Representatives.
Photo:
Néstor Gómez – El Tiempo
(Also read: ‘They are approving articles that will bankrupt the health system’: Gaviria)
As soon as it is approved in the House, the health reform bill is expected to begin its study in the Senate around February. The Seventh Senate Commission is led by Martha Peralta Epieyú, from the Government, but it is expected that the debate in said corporation will be even more complex than in the Chamber.
Watch the minute-by-minute health reform debate this Monday, December 4:
7:40 p.m.
They adjourn the session to seek an agreement with article 42. There are five articles left to vote
The plenary session, without being able to resolve the discussion, adjourned the session due to the “commitment of the speakers” to seek an agreement on the controversial article 42.
“The speaker coordinators have committed to finding a wording of the article that combines regional autonomy with merit,” said Andrés Calle, president of the Chamber. Session is scheduled for tomorrow at 11:00 am
7:20 p.m.
They propose a subcommittee to exclusively debate article 42
Jaime Raúl Salamanca, from the Green Alliance party, proposes that the reform project be completed and a subcommittee be created exclusively to define the details of how the directors of the ISE will be elected, following controversy over article 42.
7:17 p.m.
The Chamber is declared in permanent session to be able to continue debating today and advance the projects
The plenary session of the House of Representatives is declared in permanent session to continue the discussion.
6:37 p.m.
They propose eliminating article 42
Representatives of the Democratic Center and other parties propose eliminating the controversial article 42, which President Gustavo Petro asked not to support, and which changes the rules of the game in the demands to employ the directors of the State Health Institutions (ISE).
6:35 p.m.
Articles 1, 2, 3 and 8 are approved
The propositions supported by articles 1, 2, 3 and 8 are discussed.
These have to do with the organization and structure of the system following the reform. That is to say: the content, the object, the purposes of State intervention and the organization of territories for health management, refer to the territoriality of the system.
There would be 5 articles left to approve.
5:05 p.m.
Members of Cambio Radical and Conservador leave the plenary session
The Radical Change benches and the Conservative party leave the plenary session.
Conservatives say they will only return if the challenges once morest them are resolved.
4:45 p.m.
They deny the proposals to postpone the debate
The plenary vote no to the propositions that sought to postpone the debate on health reform.
3:49 p.m.
The two proposals that sought to change the agenda are denied
The plenary denies the proposals to change the agenda. It continues as budgeted, starting with the health reform project.
3:36 p.m.
Once a quorum is reached, the agenda is read. They ask to change it
With the presence of enough representatives to make a quorum, the agenda is read and two proposals seek to change it to start the debate with other projects and not with health reform.
3:00 p.m.
Congressmen begin to arrive
One hour following the start of the debate, the congressmen begin to arrive at the plenary session. When there is a quorum, the debate will begin.
2:00 p.m.
The debate is expected to begin at 2:00 p.m.
EDWIN CAICEDO | HEALTH UNIT EDITOR
With information from Juan Lombo, Political Editor.
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