Health Care Reform has between 65 and 85 votes to pass the bill in the third debate; opposition has between 30 and 55 votes to defeat the bill

Primera Página – Agencia de Noticias – Bogotá.- The National Government still has the necessary votes to endorse the 72 articles that remain for the Health Reform and take it to the third debate in the Senate. With the regional elections, the Government lost political ground, which changed the discussion within the Plenary of the Chamber to continue voting on the articles of the bill that reforms the health system in Colombia. Before the regional elections last October 29, the average number of votes with which the articles of the Health Reform were approved was between 85 and 95 votes in favor of the Government. For example, one of the most discussed articles, article 64 of the bill, which states that the Administradora de los Recursos del Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud will manage all the resources of the system in Colombia, was approved with 93 yes votes and only 35 no votes. Articles 23, 57, 68 and 84 were also approved in the Plenary with 96 yes votes and only 16 no votes. Articles 83, 95 and 19 were also approved with 97 yes votes. Now, after the elections, in which the Government lost political ground, the panorama is changing, but it is still high for the Government. It is important to say that this tendency may change, depending on the block of articles to be discussed and voted on. There are 72 articles to be voted, among which are those on the transformation of the health promoting entities (EPSs) to Gestoras de Salud y Vida (Health and Life Management Companies).