Health Services

Colombia´s healthcare system ranks #1 in Latin America according to the World Healthcare Organization (WHO).

Over 46 million people have healthcare insurance in Colombia, representing 97% of the population. It´s estimated that this number will continue to grow in the upcoming years due to the commitment of the National Government.

The country´s healthcare system is ranked #1 in Latin America and #22 worldwide according to the World Healthcare Organization. This qualification is based on service delivery, healthcare conditions improvement and patient financial protection. Colombia stands out specifically in the last element, having a low burden of payments in the user. Out-of-pocket expenses represent 20% of total healthcare expenditure in Colombia, while the average of Latin America is 34% and 22% for Europe respectively.

Additionally, this sector has special relevance in the 2018-2022 National Development Plan, where healthcare investment represents 14.4% of the national budget with USD 50.7 billion.

Bogota, pharmaceutical capital

Bogota Region shares 20% of the system affiliates and healthcare providers, representing the largest installed capacity of the country with over 15.000 beds.

In the capital of Colombia, over 50% of the national healthcare services are provided, counting also with an extended health tourism market of patients coming from the Caribbean, South America and the United States. The interest in coming to Colombia for healthcare procedures is mainly based on quality and favourable costs, these are on average 60% lower than in the US.

The profile of the affiliates to the healthcare system in Bogota are economically active individuals, that tend to acquire extra healthcare plans, thus over 50% of total extended policy members are located in the capital city.

Source: Ministry of Health, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, World Bank, Bogota Healthcare Cluster

Health Spend in Latin America 2019 (USD Billions)