Sheinbaum Transfers IMSS-Bienestar to Health Ministry

President Claudia Sheinbaum removed Zoé Robledo from the presidency of the IMSS-Bienestar Governing Board, handing control to Health Ministry David Kershenobich. The decision restructures internal power dynamics, reducing the role of IMSS within the health system.

Until recently, IMSS held five votes within the IMSS-Bienestar Governing Board. The reconfiguration reduces this to a single vote, while the Ministry of Health gains majority representation. With this shift, IMSS-Bienestar, will now operate under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Health, rather than maintaining the semi-autonomous status it once had, reports Eemequis.

Robledo, who remains director general of IMSS, retains his title but no longer oversees critical decision-making related to IMSS-Bienestar. The appointment of Kershenobich as president of the governing board is reinforced by the addition of new board members, including Eduardo Clark and Ramiro López Elizondo, both closely associated with Kershenobich, as well as Martí Batres, head of ISSSTE.

IMSS-Bienestar was originally designed as a cornerstone of AMLO’s plan to federalize health services across Mexico. Over the past several years, it absorbed the management of state-run hospitals and personnel, seeking to offer universal coverage through federal oversight. The current transition marks a departure from that hybrid model, concentrating oversight within the federal health authority.

Analysts suggest the realignment could lead to changes in how healthcare resources are distributed and how coordination with state governments is handled. The restructuring also positions Sheinbaum’s administration to implement health policies with fewer institutional intermediaries, potentially streamlining federal objectives but limiting the participation of other stakeholders.