QCOSTARICA — Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court (Sala Constitucional or Sala IV as it is commonly known) reports that so far this year, 12,005 people have filed appeals for protection for matters related to health care.
This figure represents almost half (42.02%) of the total appeals received by the Court this year.
The main reasons include long wait times for surgeries, medical appointments, waiting lists, and access to medicines.
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Waiting list grows despite “Health Route
Costa Ricans, despite the efforts announced by the Government, such as the “Health Route” launched in November 2023, the number of people having to wait long times for State medical services continues to rise.
According to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Soical (CCSS or “Caja” as it is commonly known) in August 2023, the surgical waiting list was 175,151 people, a year later, in August 2024, that figure increased to 187,546.
Lenin Hernández, from the National Nursing Union (Siname), was blunt in his criticism of the administration of CEO Marta Esquivel, who was recently suspended for six months for her and others involvement in the awarding lucrative contracts to local Ebais and medical clinics.
“The biggest problem we have right now is the lack of strategies and concrete actions to reduce waiting lists,” Hernández said.
Hernández said that the Ruta de la Salud was a “complete failure,” which has pushed many patients to file appeals to protect their right to life and health.
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The judicialization of health cases has increased exponentially, in parallel with the waiting lists.
“People have no other option than to file appeals for protection. Currently, there is a waiting list for surgery of 188,617 people and 12,005 appeals for protection filed, creating a parallel list that does not solve the problem,” Hernández stressed.
For the Nursing Union, the solution involves strengthening the three levels of care of the CCSS, which allows for adequate management of waiting lists.
“The new CCSS board of directors must design a strengthening strategy at the three levels of care to solve this problem,” said the union.
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Criticism of management
For his part, Deivis Ovares, from the National Union of Employees of the Caja and Social Security (Undeca), also expressed his concern.
According to the union, the lack of commitment of the CCSS authorities has forced the insured (patients) to resort to the courts.
“It is not possible that people have to wear themselves out in the courts to access a right that they have already paid for through their contributions to social security,” said Ovares.
He also criticized that, although the courts resolve in favor of the insured, the underlying problem is not addressed.
“This type of judicialization advances those who obtain a favorable resolution, but it does not solve the drama faced by people, who spend years waiting for a solution and suffer the anguish of their (medical) situation worsening,” he stressed.
Both union leaders agree that the CCSS board of directors and its institutional hierarchies must take urgent measures to resolve this problem definitively and guarantee timely access to health services.
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