# Colombia health crisis deepens, Nueva EPS patients suffer > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/colombias-health-system-crisis-sparks-expert-warnings-and-presidential-campaign-proposals > Updated: 2026-08-05T16:50:54.000Z. Sources: 45. Developments: 16. Since mid‑May 2026 Colombia’s public‑health system has been under severe strain. Soaring debts of state‑intervened insurers, especially Nueva EPS, left the insurer with a 2024 loss of about 4.8 trillion pesos and liabilities of 22.5 trillion, prompting President Gustavo Petro to assume half of the debt as public debt. A coalition of health experts warned in mid‑May that the system was on the brink of collapse, and hospitals across the country reported occupancy of 150‑200 % in cities such as Pasto, Soacha, Piedecuesta, Floridablanca and Ibagué. Overcrowding and strikes by public hospitals in Cesar added pressure, while providers like IPS Nueva Salud Integral and Hospital San Jorge faced severe payment shortfalls. In early June Nueva EPS launched a “Plan de Choque” to address roughly 170 000 pending tutelas, and the National Superintendency of Health reduced response times for minors. The Supreme Court gave the insurer 60 days to devise a compliance plan, and the Ministry of Health financed the Hospital Regional de Alta Complejidad in Pereira. On 5 August the Attorney General’s Office released a report on four EPS insurers, documenting persistent barriers to care, serious financial deterioration and systemic risk, and announcing disciplinary investigations into the Ministry of Health and the Superintendency. A new preventive review by the Procuraduría General de la Nación confirmed Nueva EPS’s massive deficits—liabilities over 22 trillion pesos and accumulated losses exceeding 11 trillion pesos—and recorded a surge in tutela actions, with 40,668 filed in the first quarter of 2026 (60 % of 2023 filings). Patients report nationwide failures to schedule specialist appointments, obtain essential medicines such as clobazam, and receive authorized treatments. ## Claims - Nueva EPS has failed to provide specialist appointments and essential medicines to patients, including a 7‑year‑old boy with a neurodegenerative disease. (single source) - The Procuraduría General de la Nación opened a preventive review and incorporated alleged disciplinary responsibilities against the Ministry of Health and the Superintendencia Nacional de Salud over a (single source) - The review found Nueva EPS liabilities exceeding 22 trillion Colombian pesos and accumulated losses over 11 trillion pesos. (single source) - In Boyacá, about 8,000 medical appointments were cancelled, affecting 625,873 Nueva EPS affiliates. (single source) - Hospital Universitario San Rafael reported a pending debt from Nueva EPS of more than 173 billion pesos, with only 5 billion paid out of 72 billion agreed. (single source) - The crisis led to a surge in tutela actions, with 40,668 filed in Q1 2026, representing 60 % of the total filed in 2023. (single source) - The EPS system’s financial crisis includes negative equity and high debt to health service providers, causing service disruptions. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-05: Cesar Department hospitals strike over EPS debts Twenty‑eight public hospitals in Colombia’s Cesar department have launched an indefinite strike over unpaid EPS debts, keeping emergency services open while other care is suspended. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cesar-department-hospitals-strike-over-eps-debts ### 2026-08-05: Nueva EPS crisis leaves thousands of Colombian patients without care Colombia's Nueva EPS health insurer is failing to provide specialist care and medicines, cancelling thousands of appointments and facing huge debts, prompting a Procuraduría review and disciplinary action. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombias-eps-insurers-hit-by-financial-crisis-and-government-probe ### 2026-07-21: Colombia's Supreme Court orders 60‑day plan for Nueva EPS amid health‑rights violations Colombia’s Supreme Court gave Nueva EPS 60 days to address widespread tutela non‑compliance, while courts ordered arrests and fines for officials who ignored health‑rights orders, and the Procuraduría demanded 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombian-prosecutor-demands-nueva-eps-care-for-woman-in-tolima ### 2026-07-15: Colombia pushes ahead with hospital upgrade in Puerto Colombia and new prison in Risaralda Colombia is finalizing an 18 billion‑peso upgrade of Puerto Colombia Hospital and building a 259 billion‑peso prison in Risaralda for 1,514 inmates, with completion due by 2027. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombia-pushes-ahead-with-hospital-upgrade-in-puerto-colombia-and-new-prison-in-risaralda ### 2026-07-15: Colombia's health system under strain as Nueva EPS debt rises and regulator tightens EPS rules Colombia's Nueva EPS faces a massive debt crisis jeopardizing care for over a million people, while regulator Daniel Quintero imposes tighter EPS sanctions, cutting response times and threatening closures. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombias-health-system-under-strain-as-nueva-eps-debt-rises-and-regulator-tightens-eps-rules ### 2026-07-08: Colombian Hospitals Gain Full Funding and International Recognition Colombia's health ministry secures full funding for a new regional hospital in Risaralda, while Nariño's university hospital receives international recognition as a top‑equipped Latin American facility. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombian-hospitals-gain-full-funding-and-international-recognition ### 2026-07-08: Nueva EPS faces $4.8 trillion loss and $22.5 trillion debt in Colombia Nueva EPS reported a 4.8 trillion‑peso loss and 22.5 trillion‑peso debt for 2023‑24; the government will cover half the debt while hospitals face unpaid bills. 12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombias-nueva-eps-files-2023-2024-financial-statements-as-health-system-faces-financing-crisis ### 2026-06-25: Colombian hospitals confront overcrowding in Tolima while Huila facilities earn top regional ranking Tolima’s Hospital Federico Lleras hits 170% ER occupancy and launches a contingency plan, while Huila’s two public hospitals gain entry to the prestigious HospiRank 2026. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombian-hospitals-confront-overcrowding-in-tolima-while-huila-facilities-earn-top-regional-ranking ### 2026-06-25: Nueva EPS launches shock plan to cut health service lawsuits in Colombia Nueva EPS in Colombia launches a shock plan to manage 170,000 pending health‑service lawsuits, aiming to cut tutelas to zero and speed up medication and specialist access. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nueva-eps-launches-shock-plan-to-curb-health-service-lawsuits-in-colombia ### 2026-06-21: Colombia's hospitals face severe overcrowding and rising post‑surgical infections Colombian hospitals report emergency departments at up to 200% capacity and a surge to 3,091 surgical‑site infections, prompting calls for proper primary‑care use and home‑care vigilance. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombias-hospitals-face-severe-overcrowding-and-rising-postsurgical-infections ### 2026-06-10: Hospital San Jorge in Pereira faces financial crisis over unpaid EPS claims Hospital San Jorge in Pereira warns of a $72 bn deficit and $52 bn overdue receivables, blaming unpaid claims from intervened EPS and urging the health ministry to intervene. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hospital-san-jorge-in-pereira-faces-financial-crisis-over-unpaid-eps-claims ### 2026-06-10: Pasto, Colombia faces mental‑health surge that strains hospitals Pasto, Colombia sees a surge in mental‑health cases, overwhelming hospitals and prompting calls for expanded services and early‑detection programs. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pasto-colombia-faces-mentalhealth-surge-that-strains-hospitals ### 2026-05-30: Colombia's Hospitals Issue Emergency Alerts Over Critical Overcapacity Colombia's Pasto and Soacha hospitals report critical overcapacity, prompting emergency alerts and contingency measures as patient demand soars amid the presidential election. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombias-hospitals-issue-emergency-alerts-over-critical-overcapacity ### 2026-05-29: Colombia's Nueva EPS shortfalls spark financial crisis for Guaviare health providers Nueva EPS is paying only ~80 % of bills, leaving IPS Nueva Salud Integral in Guaviare with over 700 million pesos in unpaid claims and threatening service delivery, while broader EPS reserve shortfalls signal a 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombias-nueva-eps-shortfalls-spark-financial-crisis-for-guaviare-health-providers ### 2026-05-24: Colombian presidential candidates outline plans to address health system crisis Colombia’s presidential hopefuls propose rescue funds, stricter EPS oversight and moves toward a more state‑run health system to tackle a deep financing and service crisis. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombian-presidential-candidates-outline-plans-to-address-health-system-crisis ### 2026-05-15: Colombia’s health system faces emergency crisis, experts demand shock plan Colombia’s health system risks collapse; experts urge an urgent shock plan to clean debts and boost primary care. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/argentina-health-workers-protest-against-public-health-cuts --- Cite as: Colombia health crisis deepens, Nueva EPS patients suffer. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/colombias-health-system-crisis-sparks-expert-warnings-and-presidential-campaign-proposals