Brazil launches new portability rules in health plans.

The Agencia Nacional de Saúde Suplementar (ANS) published new portability rules for health plans which will be effective beginning April 15th. According to these new rules, health plans will recognize periods enrolled in a different health plan in case of preexisting conditions and other benefits like childbirth care. 6.3 million People will benefit from the new rules.

In Brazil the Ministry of Health provides a universal health system financed by general taxes called the Sistema Único de Saude (SUS), however private sector (called Saude Suplementar) is allowed to provide supplemental health coverage through insurance (see diagram below from our Health Insurance Report). Saude Suplementar sector (in green) is composed by more than 2,000 Health Plans Manager firms, physicians, hospitals, laboratories and clinics and is regulated by the Agencia Nacional de Saúde Suplementar (ANS) which is under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health.