Academic literature about National Regulatory Agency for Private Health Insurance and Plans: a view from the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

National Regulatory Agency for Private Health Insurance and Plans (ANS) is the regulatory agency linked to Ministry of Health, which is responsible for health insurance in Brazil. Although it was established in 2000, there is already a considerable number of production studies about the Agency, it is relevant to know what these researches cover. This literature review article aimed at analyzing academic production about the ANS, found on Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. It is a qualitative research that uses the technique of thematic content analysis. All studies in that library that address the ANS were examined. For bibliographic material selection, selecting a specific period was not needed. Only theses and dissertations that included “National Regulatory Agency for Private Health Insurance and Plans” expression in any of the search fields available were analyzed. It was possible to identify the main existing issues covered by these academic productions: economic regulation, political and legal aspects of regulation and health-related characteristics of regulation; similarities and differences of understanding such regulatory institution were also discussed. We concluded that the identified issues don’t exclude each other, on the contrary, they are complementary and indicate the different facets of the institution. Furthermore, analysis of academic production unearthed differences of understanding regarding the Agency, sometimes seen as conciliation proceedings, sometimes considered as a bureaucratic and slow institution, but also seen as an institution that encourages promotion practices to health, disease prevention and improved health quality.