Jaime Plá Cortés, executive president of the Puerto Rico Hospital Association (Asociación de Hospitales de Puerto Rico), warned on Wednesday that between 700,000 and one million people could lose their Plan Vital coverage if Congress fails to approve a new federal Medicaid funding allocation before October 1, 2027. He said Puerto Rico has just over a year to secure a solution in Congress, and that this work must happen now, stressing that what is at stake is public access to health services and the entire system's capacity to meet needs.
Currently, Puerto Rico relies on temporary congressional allocations totaling about $19.6 billion over five years, with a 76% federal matching rate. Without new legislation, starting October 1, 2027, federal contributions could revert to the formula under the Social Security Act, capping funds at roughly $500 million annually with a 55% federal match, according to the association.
The Hospital Association said a reduction in available funds would affect not only Plan Vital beneficiaries but also hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers, since Medicaid funding underpins access to doctors, medications, hospitals, and essential services for a significant part of the population.