Today, we began our day with a visit to the Buenos Aires City Government, where we met with the current Deputy Minister of Health of CABA. He explained how healthcare is managed across the provinces through nuclear groups that coordinate national healthcare plans while addressing local needs. One issue he highlighted was the inefficiency within the system. This is partly due to non-residents using city services without contributing financially. In response, there’s a shift toward strengthening primary care and improving access to neighborhood clinics.

Later, we attended two presentations at the Austral City Campus. The first was led by the Director of Obra Social de Comercio, the largest union in Argentina, who explained how union healthcare is funded by payroll contributions from both employers and employees. He discussed the strain placed on well-funded unions when members from weaker unions migrate toward them. The second speaker, a former Deputy Minister of Health, outlined the systemic gaps in healthcare and proposed national goals to improve coverage and access. We ended our day with a tour of the Museo Etnográfico, where we viewed artifacts that showcased Argentina’s indigenous history and cultural heritage.

One major takeaway from today was the role of the PMO, a mandatory list of health services that Obras Sociales must cover. The PMO is intended to guarantee a baseline of care for all members, but it comes with significant challenges. There is no legal limit to what can be added to the PMO, which allows politicians to expand it for political gain—often by including expensive treatments or medications that appeal to voters. While this may sound like progress it creates financial burdens for union-run health providers.

Obras Sociales are limited in what they can charge members, as their premiums are capped at a percentage of household income. So, when the government expands the PMO without providing additional funding, unions are forced to offer more services with the same budget. Larger unions like Comercio can absorb some of the pressure, but smaller ones often collapse, leading to overcrowding and further strain on the system. In this way, the PMO—while rooted in the goal of equitable healthcare—can unintentionally destabilize the very organizations that provide it.