Transformations of Public Healthcare Services in Puerto Rico from 1993 until 2010

Alexis R. Santos-Lozada, University of Texas at San Antonio

On 1993, the Government of Puerto Rico had been providing direct healthcare services for 50 years. Because of raising costs of technology, the government decided to stop financing direct healthcare transforming its role to one of an insurer. It has been 20 years since the approval of the Healthcare Reform of 1993 and the question is; Has the Government achieved all the objectives of the Healthcare Reform?. Using case study and comparative analysis a design was produced to achieve an effective assessment of the Healthcare Reform. Since the government is still a direct provider of healthcare services and has not achieved a reduction of the public healthcare expenditures associated with the healthcare sector the objectives of the Healthcare Reform of 1993 have not been met. It can be concluded that the objectives of the Healthcare Reform of Puerto Rico have not been met, thus making it a failure.