Colombia's health system under strain as Nueva EPS debt rises and regulator tightens EPS rules

The state‑run health insurer Nueva EPS is facing a severe financial crisis. Recent audits show losses and a growing debt burden that threatens the care of more than one million insured Colombians. Inconsistent 2023‑2024 financial statements, unverified figures and a historic shortfall of roughly 11 trillion pesos since 2008 have left the network of hospitals, medication supplies and thousands of health workers at risk.

At the same time, the National Superintendency of Health, led by Daniel Quintero, announced stricter enforcement against EPS providers that fail to meet service standards. The maximum response time for minors has been cut from 24 to 8 hours, and each breach will trigger immediate referrals to the Fiscalía, Procuraduría and Contraloría, with possible fines, personal sanctions and even closure of non‑compliant entities. Quintero highlighted that the country has now gone 79 days without a child death linked to access barriers, underscoring the new regime’s urgency.