Simbolismos Associados Ao Serviço De Saúde Suplementar Por Consumidores De Baixa Renda

Abstract

The private health market in Brazil has been changing in recent years. At the same time as there was a significant increase in the number of lives served by private health insurance, there was also a market concentration in private health plans and providers. The growth in the number of lives covered by private health plans had in its main motive a penetration in the layers of the population of middle and low income, motivated by both the formalization of employment, being the "Health Plan" as one of the main benefits granted by the employer, but also by the real increase in the worker's income, where he also starts to personally acquire health plan. Considering the notoriety that the Brazilian public health needs a better service, not being the first option among health plan holders, this exploratory study had the purpose of analyzing the symbolisms associated with the supplementary health service by low income consumers. For this, 21 in-depth interviews were conducted with low-income consumers who have or have had health insurance plans. Data analysis discusses the feelings and symbologies associated with the possession of a health plan and its social status associated to the health plan, the appreciation of the companies that offer health plans as one of their corporate benefits and the comparison between the private health plans and the Public health services. From this analysis, it was possible to reach some conclusions.