translated from Spanish: Four states of Morena did not check health fund expenses

Mexico City, Chiapas, Puebla and Veracruz, states ruled by Morena, did not check what 12,012.4 million pesos of federal resources transferred in 2019 through Popular Insurance and the Health Services Contribution Fund (FASS) spent, the Federation Superior Audit (ASF) concluded.
In reviewing the federalized expenditure of the 2019 Public Account – corresponding to the first year of Claudia Sheinbaum’s government in the CDMX, Rutilio Escandón in Chiapas, Miguel Barbosa in Puebla and Cuitláhuac García in Veracruz-, the ASF detected that these entities were the ones that incured the greatest irregularities in the exercise of both funds, which means a likely billionaire break to public finances and an impact on the right to health of citizens.
Popular Insurance and FASS have aimed to provide health coverage to the non-social security population, and the resources of both federal funds should go towards the procurement of medicines and medical supplies, the construction and improvement of hospital infrastructure, and the recruitment of medical and administrative personnel.
The ASF separately audited the 32 federal entities’ expenditure on both Popular Insurance and FASS resources.
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In total, from Popular Insurance, all states left the exercise of 8,499.6 million pesos unclear. Of that total, 2,695.2 million correspond to the CDMX; 963.6 million to Veracruz, 788.5 million to Chiapas and 712.6 million to Puebla, bringing only these four entities together 72.4% (6 thousand 159.9 million pesos) of all irregular resources.
As for the FASS, the states left unclear the 9 thousand 536.6 million pesos, of which 4,594.2 million correspond to the CDMX and one billion to Chiapas, which together account for 61.3% (5,852.5) of total unproven resources. (In this audit Oaxaca, governed by PRI, was also noted for not checking the use of one thousand 488.4 million pesos).
The resources of the two federal health funds whose fate was not clarified by the morenist states represent probable damage to the eraser by 12 thousand 012.4 million pesos. Only the CDMX adds irregularities of 7 thousand 289.4 million pesos, followed by Chiapas, with 2 thousand 056.8 million; Veracruz, with 1 thousand 963.6 million, and Puebla, with 712.6 million.
CDMX
The ASF concluded that the Government of Mexico City, run by Claudia Sheinbaum, did not find that it had exercised Popular Insurance resources under the law, resulting in probable damage to the eraser of 2 billion 695 million pesos, according to the 2019-A-09000-19-0631-2020 compliance audit.
“The comments determined resulted in the promotion of the corresponding actions, which was because the information and documentation provided by the Government of Mexico City was partially forwarded, so it does not allow verification that the specific records of federal resources transferred through the Coordination Agreement concluded between the Ministry of Health and the Federal Entity , corresponding to the 2019 fiscal year, are properly identified, monitored and updated, with their original documentation justifying and verifying the expense incurred”, indicates the audit.
The document notes, for example, that the CDMX did not check whether public health services and the local health secretariat allocated resources from the fund to strengthen medical infrastructure and the procurement of medical equipment, as well as to purchase medicines included in the Universal Catalogue of Health Services.
It was also not verified whether the local authority allocated, as established by the regulations, up to 30% of the resources transferred for the Social Quota and Federal Solidarity Contribution 2019 for the acquisition of medicines, healing material and other inputs necessary for the provision of services to members of the Social Protection System in Health.
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In the 2019-A-09000-19-0621-2020 compliance audit for the FASS exercise, the ASF concluded that sheinbaum’s government failed to demonstrate the application of 4,594.2 million pesos in the fund’s objectives.
“The audited entity did not submit in a certified and complete manner the accounting records and policies with its supporting and supporting documentation of the expenditure, so the audited entity did not prove the application of the resources in the objectives of the Contribution Fund for 2019, in violation of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States,” the document states.
Among other irregularities, the local government did not find that staff hired with resources from the fund complied with the profile of the places, nor if the payments to staff were in line with the authorized tabs. The ASF also presumes that resources were used to pay salaries to people who were off the payroll or on leave.
For the irregularities detected in the exercise of both funds, the ASF requested to initiate 52 promotions of administrative responsibility against various officials.
Chiapas
Like the CDMX, the state of Chiapas was noted by the ASF for the poor exercise of both health funds. In the 2019-A-07000-19-0568-2020 compliance audit, regarding the expenditure of Popular Insurance, the supervisory authority noted that the government of Rutilio Escandón committed irregularities in the registration and financial information of operations, destination of resources, personal services and acquisitions, as well as control and delivery of goods and services, which caused probable damage to the esrian of 788 million 577.8 thousand pesos.
One of the anomalies detected was that the Chiapas State Health Institute (ISECH) opened an account for the management of Popular Insurance resources and their financial performance, but in that account received more resources from other funds and programs. In addition, a bridge bank account was used as an administrator, an account for operating expenses, and seven accounts for the payment of personal services, in which a mixture of resources from various sources of financing was identified.
The ASF found that the local government transferred 531.2 million pesos to other bank accounts without crediting its withdrawal to the original account that managed the resources.
“In conclusion, the Government of the State of Chiapas did not carry out efficient and transparent management of the programme’s resources, in accordance with the regulations governing its exercise, and its objectives and objectives were not met,” the ASF said.
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Regarding FASS spending, in the 2019-A-07000-19-0556-2020 compliance audit, the supervisory authority detected possible damage to the Treasury of 1,258 million,323,457 pesos, because, among other irregularities, no specific account was used to manage the fund’s resources, no accounting records were made of money movements, and transfers were made to 14 accounts for payroll payments and operating expenses.
The ASF noted that, with FASS resources, salaries were paid to 67 officials who did not prove to be attached to authorized medical units, amounting to 5.5 million pesos. 27 “aviators” were also paid an amount of 5.3 million pesos. In addition, ISECH did not refund the retained ISR from payroll paid with the FASS in the amount of 583.9 million pesos.
Another irregularity was that the Government of Escandón paid 8 million 97 thousand 662 pesos in a contract for allegedly the acquisition of medicines, but did not present evidence of the delivery of the goods.
The ASF requested 19 promotions of administrative responsibility sanctioning against various officials for these anomalies.
In all cases, however, states have 30 business days to deliver the documentation they de think is appropriate to check for missing resources. If the observations are not satisfied, the ASF may issue the following corrective actions: promotion of the exercise of the power of tax verification; promotion of sanctioning administrative responsibility; and denunciation of facts.
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Original source in Spanish