The Brazilian Health Care System

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The Brazilian Health Care System Health care in Brazil became a major issue between the years 1985-1988 (Nascimento, 2013). The citizens took notice that a large gap between health care services provided to the wealthy and services provided to the rest of the population existed. Health care in Brazil became a right to all citizens in 1988 and the Sistema Unico de Saude- SUS (Unified Health Care System) was established (Nascimento, 2013). Citizens are able to purchase private insurance provided that they can afford it. The Brazilian health care system is funded by the government through social security, taxes, and those employed by the government. This system was instituted during a time in the nation’s history that was politically and economically unstable. The Family health Program was established in 1994 (Nascimento, 2013). Preventative care is this primary focus of this program. The government sets up community health centers that are financed through the government. Nurses, primary care physicians, and medical assistants. The program is commended for being efficient. The program solves 85% of health related problems (Nascimento, 2013). Cost, quality, and access to care still remain a challenge to the Brazilian health care system. Although improvements have been made, impacts on women and maternal child health, the elderly, and increasing cases of many non-communicable diseases create many disparities. Cost of Care Brazil lacks the financial resources to achieve health care as a constitutional right to all citizens as is intended. Funding is not distributed equally among the regions. In 2009, Brazil invested US$921.00, versus the total of US$7,960.00 invested in the United States for the same year. (WHO, 2012). In addition to ... ... middle of paper ... .... Flawed but fair: Brazil’s health system reaches out to the poor. 86, (4), 241-320. Macinko, J., & Lima-Costa, M. (2012). Horizontal equity in health care utilization in Brazil, 1998-2008. International Journal for Equity in Health, 11(1), 33-40. doi:10.1186/1475-9276-11-33 Nascimento, J. (2013).Healthcare systems in Brazil and the United States: A comparative analysis. Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/etd Schmidt, M., Bartholow, D., Azevedo de Silva, G. ,Menezes, A. M., Monteiro, C .A. Barreto S. M., Chor, D. Menezes, P. R. (2011). Chronic non-communicable diseases in Brazil: burden and current challenges. The Lancet. 377(9781), 1949-1961. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60135-9 Victora , C. , Aquino, E. Carmo Leal, M. Augusto Monteiro, C., Barros F.C & Szwarcwald, C. (2011) The Lancet 377, (97800), Pages 1863-1876. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60138-4

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