Do elections matter for private-sector healthcare management in Brazil? An analysis of municipal health policy

In: Tufts University faculty scholarship.

Abstract

Background: This study analyzed several political determinants of increased private-sector management in Brazilian health care. In Brazil, the poor depend almost exclusively on the public Unified Health System (the SUS), which remains severely underfunded. Given the overhead costs associated with privately contracted health services, increased private management is one driver of higher expenditures in the system. Although left parties campaign most vocally in support of greater public control of the SUS, the extent to which their stated positions translate into health care policy remains untested. ; Keywords: Health systems, Brazil, Unified health system, Sus, Private contracting, Neoliberalism, Political parties. ; Springer Open.