On Monday (29), the Senate passed a new bill allowing the expansion of healthcare procedures under special plans. PL(Bill) 2033 of 2022, which has already passed the House of Representatives, should go for presidential sanction.
The decree says that the ANS (National Supplementary Health Agency) procedure list is just an example. Once enacted, the rule will serve as legal guidance for patients’ access to unlisted treatments or medications.
What is the Role of the ANS?
The List of Health Procedures and Events is a document published by ANS, the Brazilian private health plans regulatory agency. Today, 3,368 products are listed, including treatments and medications.
The role of the list, which was used as a guide for the basic scope of the plans, changed in June of this year when the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) established a comprehensive character for it.
From judicial decision, plans were released from providing access to unlisted procedures. However, as a result, many service users are prevented from starting or continuing their healthcare treatments due to lack of coverage.
What changes with the new law?
Now the legislature has approved that the role is just an example. Once the new decree goes into effect, patients with a medical prescription for reasoned and non-experimental procedures will be able to go to court and claim coverage under the scheme.
Parent groups of patients and children with disabilities spearheaded the new change. They feared that the earlier decision would prevent access to treatments for diseases that are often very expensive, such as cancer.
They also questioned the delay in inclusion of procedures on the list. According to ANS itself, the list was updated every six months after STJ’s decision. Previously, the average duration was two years.
What treatments should the health plan cover?
Treatments or medications that the plans will cover must meet the following criteria:
- Scientifically proven efficacy;
- permission from the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa);
- Recommendation of the National Commission for Consolidation of Technology in SUS (Conitec); or
- Advice from international health technology assessment bodies.
Source: Tec Mundo
I am Bret Jackson, a professional journalist and author for Gadget Onus, where I specialize in writing about the gaming industry. With over 6 years of experience in my field, I have built up an extensive portfolio that ranges from reviews to interviews with top figures within the industry. My work has been featured on various news sites, providing readers with insightful analysis regarding the current state of gaming culture.
