WILLEMSTAD – Rising expenditures at Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) were one of the main factors behind the sharp increase in healthcare costs recorded by Curaçao's Basic Health Insurance (BVZ) fund last year, according to the Social Insurance Bank (SVB).
The SVB's 2025 Annual Report shows that the budget allocated to CMC through the BVZ reached more than 205 million guilders in 2025.
That represents an increase of more than 31 million guilders, or approximately 18 percent, compared to the previous year.
Overall healthcare expenditures within the BVZ rose from nearly 600 million guilders in 2024 to more than 650 million guilders in 2025, an increase of almost 57 million guilders.
While healthcare spending continued to rise rapidly, income generated through BVZ premiums increased at a much slower pace. Premium revenues grew by 4.6 percent, while total healthcare expenditures rose by nearly 10 percent.
To help offset the growing deficit, the government increased its annual contribution to the BVZ fund by 13 million guilders, raising its contribution to more than 290 million guilders.
Even with that increase, the SVB says the additional government funding covered only part of the rising healthcare costs.
As a result, the BVZ fund ended the year with a deficit of more than 14 million guilders, despite the combined social insurance funds posting an overall surplus exceeding 40 million guilders.
The SVB warns that without structural reforms and stronger economic growth, the financial sustainability of Curaçao's healthcare financing system will continue to come under pressure.