The government won the support of Peronism and is on its way to passing its disability project

The Argentine lower house moved toward approving a new disability law late Wednesday after the governing coalition secured crucial backing from Peronist opposition blocs. The legislation aims to regularize medical care for individuals with disabilities and settle outstanding payments to healthcare providers, addressing one of the most politically sensitive fronts for President Javier Milei’s administration. After hours of last-minute negotiations during a marathon session, the ruling side obtained support not only from its usual allies but also from the Provincias Unidas alliance and the broader Peronist camp. Chamber Speaker Martin Menem coordinated the final talks, while libertarian deputy Laura Rodriguez Machado led the direct negotiations. She engaged with representatives from Union for the Homeland, including Victoria Tolosa Paz and Sabrina Selva, who indicated their faction would back the bill if specific amendments were included. This shift forced the Peronist bloc, led by German Martinez, to abandon its previous stance favoring an extension of the current disability emergency decree. That earlier position had been shared by parts of Provincias Unidas, Civic Coalition, and leftist groups. However, once the disability collective endorsed the revised official text, Peronist leaders recognized that rejecting a bill incorporating many of their demands would create a rhetorical contradiction. Additionally, supporting the measure would strengthen the parliamentary majority needed to override a potential presidential veto. Key modifications to the draft include establishing legal requirements for accessing disability pensions, which previously were set solely by executive decree. Beneficiaries must now hold a Unique Disability Certificate, undergo a socioeconomic assessment, and ensure individual income does not exceed two minimum wages. The bill maintains Law 26,816, which regulates protected employment for people with disabilities, and reinforces budgetary guarantees. If Health Ministry allocations prove insufficient, funds from the national Treasury can be used. Resources allocated per beneficiary will be adjusted monthly to preserve value against inflation. A central component addresses the accumulated debt owed to medical providers. The executive branch has thirty days from the law’s entry into force to present a payment schedule and ninety days maximum to clear pending compensations. These unpaid amounts currently total approximately 278.323 billion pesos, a deadline explicitly demanded by the PRO party. Regarding invalidity pensions, the proposal guarantees all beneficiaries access to basic medical services under the Incluir Salud program. It also restores the monthly inflation-adjusted price list for medical procedures, a provision that had been removed from the government’s initial budget project. Oscar Herrera Ahuad, head of the Federal Argentina bloc, played a pivotal role in consolidating these changes. A Peronist deputy described the outcome as a victory for the disability community. Martinez similarly emphasized the importance of preserving the content of the existing emergency law. Despite the legislative progress, the threat of a presidential veto remains a looming concern for the coalition. The approval process required the government to reverse several positions to avoid another defeat on this issue. The final text incorporates the financial safeguards and service guarantees requested by advocacy groups and opposition legislators. Negotiations extended well into the session, significantly altering the original initiative circulated early in the day. The disability collective expressed its endorsement of the official proposal this afternoon, a move that pressured critical sectors to reassess their strategy. Rejecting a text that absorbs much of the emergency decree’s claims while adding improvements would have trapped the Peronists in a contradictory posture. Bloc members acknowledged the political cost of aligning with the government but attempted to downplay the significance of the concession. The focus remained on securing a durable solution for the disabled population and ensuring timely payments to the medical sector. The legislative maneuver highlights the complex dynamics within the Argentine Congress, where cross-party alliances often determine the fate of socially sensitive bills. The inclusion of specific inflation adjustments and treasury funding mechanisms reflects attempts to address long-standing complaints about inadequate resources and delayed reimbursements. By setting strict deadlines for debt clearance, the law imposes new obligations on the executive branch. The restoration of the medical nomenclator update mechanism ensures that treatment costs remain aligned with economic realities. These provisions aim to stabilize the system and provide clearer rules for both patients and providers. As the session concluded, attention turned to the possibility of further executive action. While the chamber approved the framework, the final implementation depends on the president’s decision regarding the veto power. The broad consensus achieved today reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of legislative gridlock. Stakeholders from the disability sector viewed the outcome positively, noting that their core demands were integrated into the statutory text. The political landscape in Buenos Aires continues to shift as parties navigate these high-stakes social policy debates. The successful passage marks a temporary resolution to a contentious dispute that had threatened to escalate into a broader political crisis.