In 2005, Uruguay became the first country in Latin America to establish a formal care system. Although the country has been a pioneer and leader in this area of public policy at the regional level, the implementation of the National Integrated Care System faces several challenges related to financial sustainability and coverage.

Nearly 10 years after its establishment, this report assesses the sustainability of the system and provides recommendations to improve efficiency, services, and coverage in the short, medium, and long term.

The study analyzes the services offered by the National Integrated Care System to its target users, which include children, people with disabilities, and dependent older adults. Additionally, the report evaluates the financial sustainability of the system to estimate the costs associated with the main challenges identified and explores funding alternatives to ensure the system’s sustainability over the next 30 years.

The proposals outlined in the report help quantify the impact of demographic change and evaluate different policy options, including funding alternatives, to improve both the sustainability and quality of the system.

This document was prepared with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank by a team of consultants, including MICARE researcher Pablo Villalobos.

Sistema de Cuidados: Diagnóstico, desafíos, recomendaciones y análisis de sostenibilidad financiera