Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Sickness Insurance (Industry) Convention, 1927 (No. 24) - Colombia (Ratification: 1933)

Regarding the points raised in its earlier comments, the Committee takes note with satisfaction of the adoption of Act No. 1438 of 19 January 2011 reforming the General Social Security Health System (SGSSS), and specifically that:

• -section 32 establishes the principle of universality of sickness insurance, in accordance with Article 2 of the Convention;
• -there is no qualifying period under the SGSSS for access to health services or to the treatment of high-cost illnesses, and the imposition of any restriction on access to such services by a health-care provider is prohibited, in accordance with Article 3(2) of the Convention; and
• -the qualifying periods for access to sickness benefits have been modified by Act No. 1122 of 2007 – for example, 26 weeks of contributions – and contributions already paid are not forfeited on account of the non-payment of contributions to the system for six or more successive months, in accordance with Article 4(1) of the Convention.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.