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 PS 721 expands healthcare protections and accommodations for people with special needs across Puerto Rico's health system by amending four health laws to require providers and insurers to establish additional safeguards and rights.

Comisión no recomienda aprobación de la medida

Legislative bill overview

Bill PS 721 amends four major Puerto Rico health laws to extend protections and rights for persons with special needs in their interactions with healthcare providers, insurance organizations, and government health agencies. The bill modifies the Department of Health's organic law, health insurance administration regulations, patient rights charter, and health facilities law to establish additional safeguards and accommodative requirements.

Why is this important

People with disabilities and special needs often face barriers accessing healthcare due to lack of accommodations, discrimination, or inadequate protections in the healthcare system. These amendments would establish enforceable rights and standardized protections across Puerto Rico's fragmented health system, potentially improving access and quality of care for a vulnerable population.

Potential points of contention

Implementation costs: Expanding accommodations and protections across all healthcare providers and insurance organizations requires resource allocation that may be expensive during Puerto Rico's fiscal constraints

Definition clarity: "Special needs" could be ambiguous, creating disputes about who qualifies for protections and what specific accommodations providers must offer

Provider burden: Healthcare facilities and insurers may resist additional regulatory requirements and compliance obligations, particularly smaller providers with limited administrative capacity

Enforcement mechanism: The bill doesn't clearly specify how rights will be enforced or what penalties apply for violations, potentially limiting practical effectiveness