Residents who can pay must join the contributory regime through an Entidad Promotora de Salud (EPS).
Under this system, independent workers contribute 12.5% of an assessed income base, starting at a minimum contribution of roughly COP 218,863 per month in 2026. A contributing member’s spouse and children enrol as beneficiaries at no additional premium. Many foreign residents also purchase a complementary private plan, known as medicina prepagada.
How Colombia EPS Works for Residents
Residents in Colombia who have the financial capacity to pay must enrol in the contributory health system (régimen contributivo) through an Entidad Promotora de Salud (EPS). According to administrative guidance from the Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social (MinSalud) and legal standards referenced by the Superintendencia Nacional de Salud (Supersalud), residents who can pay must join the contributory regime. Once a primary contributor is enrolled, their spouse and children are included as beneficiaries without any additional monthly charge. A private plan does not replace the EPS; many foreigners add one on top.
Enrolment requires specific official identification. Article 2.1.3.5 of Decreto 780 of 2016 lists several valid documents for foreign nationals, including a cédula de extranjería, a passport, a diplomatic card, or a permanence safe-conduct (salvoconducto de permanencia). MinSalud also recognises the Permiso de Protección Temporal (PPT) for Venezuelan migrants.
In practice, EPSs work with the cédula de extranjería. Refusals of passports have led to tutelas (court petitions), so expect to need the cédula. If an EPS refuses your documents, ask a Colombian lawyer. Holders of visas longer than three months (other than V visas) need their cédula de extranjería within 15 days of entering Colombia or of the visa being issued.
Waiting periods, co-pays, pre-existing-condition rules and medication coverage are not published here. Confirm them with your EPS or MinSalud.
What an Independent Pays into Colombia EPS
Independent workers in Colombia calculate their monthly health contribution using an assessed base figure. The UGPP guide applies to independent workers on service contracts (Ley 2277 de 2022, art. 89). The assessment foundation is the Ingreso Base de Cotización (IBC), which is legally set at 40% of the worker’s monthly income.
The IBC has strict boundaries tied to the Salario Mínimo Mensual Legal Vigente (SMMLV). It cannot fall below one legal minimum wage, nor can it exceed 25 minimum wages. For 2026, the national minimum wage is set at COP 1,750,905 per month under Decreto 1469 of 2025, reported by Portafolio. For these workers, the statutory health contribution is 12.5% of the IBC, paid entirely by the worker.
| Monthly income | Calculated 40% figure | Applicable IBC | Monthly EPS payment (12.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| COP 3,000,000 | COP 1,200,000 | COP 1,750,905 (statutory floor) | COP 218,863 |
| COP 8,000,000 | COP 3,200,000 | COP 3,200,000 | COP 400,000 |
| COP 20,000,000 | COP 8,000,000 | COP 8,000,000 | COP 1,000,000 |
The figures in this table are worked mathematical examples of the statutory rule, not binding government quotes. In the first row, 40% of COP 3,000,000 is COP 1,200,000, below the minimum wage, so the floor of COP 1,750,905 applies.
Employees and other cases operate under different rules. Ask a Colombian accountant (contador público) which rule applies to you. Pensioners’ contribution rate is not published here. Whether income earned outside Colombia counts toward the base is not published here; ask a contador.
Medicina Prepagada and Private Plan Costs
Medicina prepagada provides voluntary private coverage that sits on top of your mandatory EPS enrolment. Data from a commercial analysis by Colombia Move published between 24 and 26 May 2026 outlines price bands for individual mid-tier private policies.
- Ages 25 to 35: COP 400,000 to COP 700,000 per month.
- Ages 40 to 50: COP 800,000 to COP 1,400,000 per month.
- Ages 55 to 65: COP 1,500,000 to COP 2,500,000 per month.
This is a rough commercial band from one guide, not a quote, for a single person on a mid-tier plan. Premiums typically rise 5 to 12% a year (same guide). Colombia Move says foreigners can enrol with a valid visa. A private plan does not replace the EPS, which is mandatory for residents who can pay.
Details regarding prepagada coverage and pre-existing-condition rules are not published here. Ask the insurer or a Colombian insurance adviser.
Visas That Require Health Insurance Coverage
Two visas set a health-cover condition. The digital nomad visa, governed by Article 46 of Resolución 5477 of 2022, requires health insurance that covers you in Colombia for your whole stay. For the full requirements, see the Colombia digital nomad visa guide.
The pensioner visa lists health coverage among its required documents (Cancillería). For the pensioner route, see Colombia retirement visa.
Medicare and Medigap Coverage Limits Abroad
Original Medicare generally does not cover health care outside the United States, apart from narrow exceptions. Some Medigap plans cover foreign emergency care up to a USD 50,000 lifetime limit (Medicare.gov). Check your own plan before you rely on it.
Accredited Hospitals in Medellín and Bogotá
In Medellín, Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, located in the Robledo sector, holds global accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI). The hospital earned its first JCI certification in 2015, renews its credentials every three years, and completed its latest institutional evaluation in September 2024.
Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá is reported to be JCI-accredited. Whether your EPS or prepagada plan covers care at either hospital is not published here.
To find a doctor who speaks English at these hospitals, see how to find an English-speaking doctor in Colombia. For dental treatment, is Colombia a good country for dental work covers how to check a dentist and a clinic.
Next Steps for Setting Up Health Cover in Colombia
At Colombia Desk, we help foreigners moving to Medellín or Bogotá plan their arrival. See our relocation concierge page and get in touch. A Colombian accountant can work out your exact EPS contribution, and a Colombian lawyer can help if an EPS refuses your documents.