CMCPR President Díaz to clarify details of missing money for health insurance plan

Designated Health Secretary Dr. Víctor Ramos Otero (camarapr.org)

By The Star Staff

Carlos Díaz, the president of the Puerto Rico Physicians and Surgeons Association (CMCPR by its initials in Spanish), has announced that he will address the controversy surrounding the former president and current designated Secretary of Health, Dr. Víctor Ramos Otero, at a press conference on Wednesday.

Ramos has denied any responsibility regarding the alleged disappearance of approximately $1.4 million that was donated by doctors to establish a health insurance plan during his tenure at the CMCPR.

“Today, very important decisions will be made by the Governing Board, which we will announce at the press conference,” Díaz said. “No later than Wednesday; this will be a historic event.”

He emphasized that all relevant documentation would be presented to clarify the situation, asserting that he and the CMCPR governing board would provide detailed information and the complete truth.

Díaz claimed he was unaware of how the $1.4 million contributed by a group of doctors for the health plan was utilized. The CMCPR had lent $600,000 to support the initiative, with additional funds contributed by participating physicians, who deposited amounts ranging from $3,000 to $50,000 into a cooperative’s share account.

However, the CMCPR’s former treasurer, Roberto Pérez, challenged Díaz’s claim of ignorance regarding the health plan and the whereabouts of the funds. Pérez insisted that Díaz, who served on the governing board at the time, should have been aware of the financial transactions. He affirmed that the $1.4 million was essential for the development of the health plan.

“The money didn’t vanish; it was spent on necessary expenses to create the health plan,” Pérez said. “Developing a health plan is neither easy nor inexpensive. When the plans were created, we hired a company called HMI, which had previously helped develop a health plan in the western region. I can attest that the funds were used for essential components of the plan, despite the challenges we faced.”

Puerto Rico Physicians and Surgeons Association President Carlos Díaz (Instagram via colegiomedicoscirujanos)

On Monday afternoon, New Progressive Party Rep. Jorge Navarro Suárez strongly condemned a request by Popular Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Minority Leader Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz and the PDP alternate minority leader in the upper chamber, Sen. Marially González Huertas, for Gov. Jenniffer González Colón to withdraw the appointment of Ramos as secretary of Health (the governor reiterated that she would do no such thing).

Navarro described the action as a baseless, biased political move and a clear defamation strategy against a professional of integrity committed to Puerto Rico’s public health.

“It is evident that this is a campaign orchestrated by the PDP leadership, in collaboration with Dr. Carlos Díaz, a PDP political activist, PDP mayoral candidate for San Juan, and president of the Physicians and Surgeons Association,” Navarro said. “Not only is this intended to discredit Dr. Ramos, but he is also being denied the opportunity to defend himself. Neither Senators Hernández nor González Huertas have requested information from Dr. Ramos, nor have they summoned him to the Senate to discuss his plans and proposals. Nor have they agreed to meet with him to hear the other side of the coin. This exposes the plot they are carrying out to obstruct his appointment.”