Congress targets Brazilian health insurance companies

Lawmakers from both the left and right are calling for a select committee to investigate Brazilian private health insurers in response to reports that companies have been unilaterally revoking thousands of insurance contracts with patients who have chronic conditions. During a House public hearing, Congresswoman Maria Rosas of the Republican party criticized the federal private health regulator ANS for not doing enough to address this issue. She pointed out that insurers have openly admitted to canceling plans for financial reasons, which is illegal under current legislation. Insurers are only allowed to revoke individual contracts in cases of fraud or default, and collective contracts can only be terminated by the employer or with prior notice.

In recent months, there have been multiple instances of companies unilaterally revoking insurance contracts, prompting lawmakers to call for an investigation by a hearings committee. Despite significant support from the House, Speaker Arthur Lira has not yet taken action on the motion. Congresswoman Rosas was joined by São Paulo state lawmaker Andréa Werner, a member of the center-left Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), who also criticized the actions of health insurers. Ms. Werner stated that insurers have made the decision not to prioritize certain patients any longer, and she dismissed claims that providers…