The PRI deputy, Jericó Abramo Masso, has presented an initiative to modify the General Health Law with the aim of regulating the prices of services and medications offered by private hospitals. The proposal seeks to ensure that these institutions adhere to the maximum prices established by the Ministry of Economy for the sale of medications and supplies used during medical care.
Specifically, the initiative stipulates that the medications supplied to patients in private hospitals must include the legend "Prices established by the Ministry of Economy," aiming to guarantee transparency in costs. It also proposes that the rates for health services be published on the official pages of the Ministry of Economy and the Federal Consumer Prosecutor's Office (Profeco), in addition to being provided in writing to each patient upon admission to the hospital, whether for scheduled or emergency care.
According to Abramo Masso, adjustments to rates in private hospitals cannot exceed the inflation recorded the previous year, in order to avoid disproportionate increases in costs. The initiative also references official standards for regulating these hospitals, considering what is established in Article 230 of the Federal Penal Code, which prohibits the retention of patients, newborns, or corpses as a guarantee of payment for debts.
This proposal arises from reports of excessive charges in private hospitals, where some medications reach prices up to 30 times higher than those in regular pharmacies. In 2021, Profeco reported that patients usually do not know the fees for consultations, medications, treatments, or surgical interventions in advance, which prevents them from making informed decisions about their health.
The draft law has been sent to the Health Commission for analysis and discussion, with the aim of establishing mechanisms that guarantee transparency and economic accessibility in private medical services.
