Para enmendar el Artículo 12 de la Ley Núm. 81 de 14 de marzo de 1912, según enmendada, conocida como “Ley Orgánica del Departamento de Salud”; enmendar la Sección 2 del Artículo IV y las Secciones 4 y 15 del Artículo VI de la Ley 72-1993, según enmendada, denominada “Ley de la Administración de Seguros de Salud de Puerto Rico”; añadir un nuevo inciso (e) al Artículo 5, enmendar el inciso (b) del Artículo 8, enmendar el inciso (e) del Artículo 9, y añadir un nuevo inciso (i) al Artículo 12 de la Ley 194-2000, según enmendada, denominada “Carta de Derechos y Responsabilidades del Paciente”; y añadir un nuevo inciso (j) al Artículo 4 de la Ley Núm. 101 de 26 de junio de 1965, según enmendada, denominada “Ley de Facilidades de Salud”, con el fin de reformar elementos esenciales del sistema de salud de Puerto Rico para extender protecciones y derechos adicionales a las personas con necesidades especiales en su interacción con las proveedoras de servicios de salud, las organizaciones de seguros de salud, y las agencias gubernamentales que reglamentan o canalizan dichos servicios; y para establecer otras disposiciones complementarias.

2025-2028 Session

Bill PC 864 expands healthcare protections for people with special needs across Puerto Rico's health system by amending four major health laws governing providers, insurers, and regulatory agencies.

Comisión no recomienda aprobación de la medida

Legislative bill overview

Bill PC 864 amends four major Puerto Rico health laws to extend protections and rights for people with special needs when interacting with healthcare providers, health insurance organizations, and regulatory government agencies. The bill modifies the Department of Health's organic law, the health insurance administration law, the Patient Rights and Responsibilities Charter, and the Health Facilities law to establish comprehensive safeguards for vulnerable populations in the healthcare system.

Why is this important

Puerto Rico's healthcare system serves a population with significant chronic disease burdens and limited resources, making accessibility protections particularly critical. Enhanced rights for people with special needs—including those with disabilities, elderly individuals, and others requiring accommodations—can improve healthcare access, reduce discrimination, and strengthen accountability in a system where service gaps have been documented. These amendments represent a direct legislative response to identified gaps in patient protections across multiple healthcare system levels.

Potential points of contention

Implementation costs: Expanding healthcare provider obligations and accommodations may require additional resources and infrastructure investment that the government budget may struggle to absorb

Definition ambiguity: The bill's reference to "special needs" lacks precise definition, potentially creating disputes over who qualifies for protections and creating compliance uncertainty for providers

Regulatory burden: Multiple agencies (Department of Health, insurance regulators, facilities inspectors) must coordinate implementation, risking inconsistent enforcement and administrative complexity

Insurance market impact: New requirements on health insurance organizations could affect premium costs and availability of plans, with unclear cost-sharing mechanisms