Expectations for a quick resolution to the social security issue have faded due to a lack of funds and the continuation of partial payments that are insufficient to restore full benefits. In Mar del Plata, the situation was formally exposed through a notification from the Mar del Plata Medical Foundation to the Naval Base, informing that the HPC has suspended most scheduled services for IOSFA affiliates due to unpaid debts. However, even there it is warned that the financial situation of IOSFA is delicate and could lead to greater restrictions if resources are not urgently injected. Dissatisfaction within the Armed Forces is also growing due to the perception of wrong priorities in political leadership. The lack of liquidity in the social security service prevents it from maintaining agreements with private providers, which are beginning to progressively cut services. In the City of Buenos Aires, the impact is partially mitigated by the existence of military hospitals, such as the Central Military Hospital, the Naval Hospital, and the Aeronautical Hospital, which function as alternatives for primary care. Meanwhile, the social security service continues without sufficient funds to meet basic commitments, and the health coverage of affiliates is increasingly exposed. Thus, the IOSFA crisis has become one of the main sources of internal tension within the Armed Forces, with a direct impact on the quality of life for active and retired personnel, and a resolution horizon that, for now, appears uncertain. Sources consulted: military sources; communications from the Hospital Privado de la Comunidad and Mar del Plata Medical Foundation; testimonies from IOSFA affiliates; information from national media. “Everyone was left without social security and without real alternatives,” warned a source affected by the situation. The IOSFA crisis has dragged on since the beginning of the government of Javier Milei and worsened after the departure of former Defense Minister Luis Petri, who left ambiguous reports. Only critical services such as Oncology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, and life-threatening emergencies are maintained. The problem is not limited to that city. Sources in the sector confirmed similar difficulties at the Italian Hospital of Bahía Blanca, as well as interruptions in the care of pharmacies that until now provided services to IOSFA in different points of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA). According to consulted sources, there is anger because they believe that Minister Presti is more focused on enabling exceptions for high-ranking officers to access political positions without going on availability, instead of resolving a crisis that directly affects the health of thousands of military personnel and their families. Despite previous versions about the possible regularization of the system through a decree of necessity and urgency and the separation of military social security services from security forces, these measures were not implemented. In Mar del Plata, medical coverage was practically suspended after accumulating a debt estimated at 800 million pesos with the Hospital Privado de la Comunidad (HPC), leaving thousands of affiliates without regular access to basic health services. According to military sources consulted by TNA, the coverage cut has been in place for several days and does not currently have a concrete solution. “In Mar del Plata, the three forces are represented, with active and retired personnel. The debt with the HPC forced affiliates to cover medical expenses out of their own pocket, with amounts that in some cases are directly inaccessible for the income of military personnel, especially for low ranks and retirees. According to collected testimonies, a CT scan can reach 400,000 pesos, while laboratory analyses exceed 100,000 pesos, figures that make the continuation of treatments or medical studies unfeasible. City of Buenos Aires, February 1, 2026 – Total News Agency-TNA-A situation of “total alarm” broke out among active and retired military personnel due to the worsening of the financial crisis of the Armed Forces Social Work Institute (IOSFA). The current head of the portfolio, General Carlos Presti, now faces a scenario that, according to military sources, is more serious than expected.
