Catamarca health agreement expands medication access

A new agreement between the Obra Social de los Empleados Públicos (OSEP) and the Ministry of Health of Catamarca will change how public health patients receive medication starting September 1. Under the new arrangement, OSEP will manage the operational aspects of purchasing, distributing, and dispensing drugs, while the Ministry of Health will maintain responsibility for financing.

Patients will no longer be restricted to fixed delivery points. Instead, they can collect their medication at any pharmacy within the OSEP provider network, both within Catamarca and in neighboring jurisdictions such as Córdoba, Tucumán, and the City of Buenos Aires. This shift aims to reduce travel distances, decrease waiting times, and simplify administrative procedures.

The initial phase of the program will focus on biological and high-cost medications, specifically targeting oncology and transplant patients. The health ministry plans to gradually expand the scope of the agreement based on operational performance and sanitary needs.