WILLEMSTAD - The Council of Advice (RvA) has sharply criticized the government for failing to provide detailed financial information about the serious problems at the Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) in the 2025 budget. This is despite the fact that the CMC has been facing a structural deficit, which currently amounts to 35 to 45 million guilders.
Although the government has proposed a 10 million guilder increase to the national contribution for the basic health insurance system, it remains unclear how the remaining deficits will be addressed. The Council notes that the budget does not specifically outline the necessary cost-saving measures and improvements in premium payments. They warn that if no action is taken, the financial burden will ultimately fall on the government.
Operating Costs
The Council states that the CMC urgently needs to implement efficiency improvements to reduce operating costs. Without these measures, the CMC's financial deficits are likely to escalate further, which would eventually force the government to cover them.
Additionally, the Council points to a potential complication regarding the financing of replacement investments at the CMC. The government plans to refinance a 140-million-guilder debt, which is due for repayment in 2025, to free up 60 million guilders for these investments. The Council warns that if this refinancing does not go through, the planned investments in the CMC will not be possible.
The Council advises the government to update the budget with detailed figures on the deficits and to clarify the financing plan for the CMC and the necessary replacement investments.