Mônica Bergamo: Health plans project a rise in the number of customers driven by Covid

The health plan sector expects to close the balance sheet for 2021 with a 2.8% increase in the number of clients, its best performance since 2013. If the projection is confirmed, the agreements will have approached the mark of 49 million beneficiaries of medical-hospital plans — the highest level since December 2015.

FORGET

The estimate is from the National Federation of Supplementary Health (FenaSaúde), an entity that represents the main groups of health plan operators in the country. The final account will be closed in the coming weeks.

DEMAND

With the Covid-19 pandemic, the segment started to gain users month after month on a continuous basis, after years of loss. There were 2.2 million new subscriptions since June 2020, totaling 48.6 million customers until mid-December last year.

OFFER

The movement, according to the executive director of FenaSaúde, Vera Valente, reflects the “natural search for security” at a time of health crisis. The pandemic also boosted the appreciation of the SUS (Unified Health System), which is universal and free — especially in relation to vaccination.

OFFER 2

“Greater competition, more affordable plans, coverage segmentation and better operational efficiency are measures that can help to further expand access to health care for the Brazilian population in 2022”, says Vera about the private segment.

IN THE NETWORKS

​_{JOELMIR TAVARES (interim), with LÍGIA MESQUITA, BIANKA VIEIRA e MANOELLA SMITH} ​