More Brazilians find having health insurance plan important

Being covered by a health insurance plan is the third most sought-after achievement among Brazilians, followed only by getting an education and owning a house. The ranking can be found in a survey released this week and conducted by IBOPE at the request of the Institute for Studies on Supplementary Health (IESS).

Compared to the previous study, carried out in 2015, a rise was reported in the number of Brazilians who think a health insurance plan is one of the most important goods a person can have. The uninsured who had the same opinion two years ago totaled 53%, against 57% today. The amount of Brazilians who are not covered by a health insurance plan and describe it as the number one benefit went up from 13% in 2015 to 16% this year.

Of those insured by a health plan, 67% rate it as the third most desired good. The amount respondents who ranked having a health insurance plan higher than education or owning a house stands at 18%.

The main reasons for wanting a health insurance plan are quality and prompt assistance, good doctors and hospitals, comfort, and the precariousness of public health care services. The reasons listed by non-beneficiaries are high fees and no need for this sort of assistance.

Satisfaction

The poll found that 80% of those with a health insurance plan say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their insurance. Figures show an increase in five percentage points from 2015.

Of the total of beneficiaries, 82% say they would recommend their plans to a friend or relative—up three percentage points. Also, 87% declared they are not planning on changing plans, a one-percentage-point hike from 2015.

Also according to the survey, 88% of the insured used some of the health care services under the plan in the last 12 months. Ninety percent of the people in the same group said they can solve health problems with the services provided by the plans.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira