Health and Safety in Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rican government has initiated new public rules and tactics concerning to health since 1992. In 1970, the birth rate was 24.8 for every 1,000 populations, declined to 18.8 in 1985 and in 1994 becomes 17.5. The presented data show a turning down particularly in fertility rate throughout new decades in entire age groups of mothers, excluding the 15–19 age groups which birth rates changes the fertility rates of 71.9 births for every 1,000 women in 1970, 63.5 in 1985, and in 1992 becomes 73.3. The primary causes of death are due to heart disease with 157.7 for every 100,000 populations and malignant neoplasm’s with 116.6. In the prior years, diabetes mellitus and AIDS top the list with 1,868 and 1,549 reported cases.

In 1994, Pedro Rosselló, Governor of Puerto Rico planned and put into service the privatization of the public health system in term of “Health Reform”. The said plan contains trading the government-owned hospitals and health centers to local and United States shareholders and then applies a worldwide free or low-charge health insurance plan for in need residents. The mental health services and benefits were the only exemption to the said Reform. It is granted by mental healthcare companies but not by insurance carriers. The largest insurance companies in the country which are presently part of the Reform program include Humana with 26.1%, Medical Card Systems with 33.5% and Triple-S, Inc. with 40.4%. The former governor and some politicians are also pushing to produce a universal health care system by offering more reform programs to citizens that not have a private insurance plan.