New figures reveal that a primary care trust (PCT) struggling to cut budgets will still be almost £20m in debt at the end of 2006.
Suffolk East PCT overspent again in 2005 to the tune of £2.6m.
That is almost £4m beyond a target for improvement which was set by the strategic health authority.
The figures are included on the agenda for a Suffolk East PCT board meeting to be held next Wednesday when measures to control budgets are to be discussed.
The PCT has created controversy with attempts to control costs by denying operations to obese people and delaying routine surgery by four months.