There’s a question Latin American healthcare systems have avoided for decades:
how many patients never received care simply because they couldn’t afford treatment at the time?
The answer is uncomfortable. According to data from CAF presented at the 2026 International Economic Forum, 30% of the population in Latin America lacks effective access to basic healthcare services.
This isn’t a hospital problem.
It’s not a doctor shortage.
It’s a liquidity problem.
And financial technology is quietly starting to solve it.
The model changing everything: From BNPL to CNPL
Get treated today, pay later
In our Strategic Guide 2026: The Wellness Trifecta, we explore how Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) has expanded access to consumption—especially in e-commerce.
Today, that same logic is moving into one of the most critical sectors: healthcare.
Care Now, Pay Later (CNPL) allows patients to access medical consultations, specialized treatments, medications, or surgeries—and split payments into installments of up to 12 months.
What appears to be a financial solution is, in reality, a public health solution.
When cost is no longer a barrier, patients stop delaying what cannot be postponed.
“Economic pressure turns healthcare into an everyday liquidity issue, where the lack of formal mechanisms to distribute medical expenses leads patients to delay care.”
— Andrés Fontao, Co-Founder & CEO of Finnosummit
The numbers that matter
What CNPL is already achieving in the region
- Clivi (Mexico): Monthly subscription model for diabetes care — $46 USD/month
- Longevo + Pax Assistance: Cross-border subscription plans with up to 12 installments (Argentina, Colombia, Chile)
- Vitau: Subscription-based e-pharmacy with automated billing and delivery — a profitable model
- Rebill: Recurring payments infrastructure for LatAm healthtechs (PIX, OXXO Pay, Bre-B, Nequi)
Platforms that embed Fintech infrastructure at their core are not only improving patient experience—they are building scalable, sustainable, and profitable business models.
Without financial technology to process low-cost subscriptions and alternative payment methods, retaining chronic patients in Latin America would be nearly impossible.
Diabetes as a case study
52 million reasons why CNPL will scale
The International Diabetes Federation projects that the number of people living with diabetes in Central and South America will increase by 46% by 2050, reaching 52 million people.
In 2024 alone, $81 billion was spent on diabetes in the region—representing 8% of global expenditure.
A lifelong condition is, by definition, a cash flow problem.
CNPL is not just a financial product.
It is the infrastructure that ensures treatment continues—even when income doesn’t.
⚠️ A risk to consider
Adopting CNPL without financial education can lead to over-indebtedness.
The most responsible platforms are combining access to medical credit with health budgeting tools for households.
Inclusion without financial literacy doesn’t solve inequality—it can deepen it.
Want to go deeper?
Download the Strategic Guide on how the convergence of payments, AI, and embedded insurance is redefining access to healthcare.
Get the full analysis, real use cases, a C-Level playbook, and the risks no company can afford to ignore.
Where is healthcare finance heading in 2026?
The convergence of health and finance is becoming a cornerstone of the new economy in Latin America.
Don’t let this transformation happen without you.
Join founders and C-level executives leading the Care Now, Pay Later movement at the 10th edition of FINNOSUMMIT 2026.
This is the moment to design the innovations that will reshape society.