Brasília – Parliamentary amendments now account for 10.7% of Brazil’s federal health budget, the highest proportion ever recorded, according to a new study referenced by the Folha de S.Paulo. The report highlights a structural shift in the financing of the Unified Health System (SUS), with amendments assuming a central — and increasingly decisive — role in determining where federal resources are allocated.

Researchers warn that this growing dependence on amendments may reduce predictability in health planning and weaken national policy priorities, since allocations often respond to political dynamics rather than epidemiological or technical criteria. The study also notes that the rise in individual amendments, which are de facto mandatory, has reshaped the composition of the budget, increasing fragmentation and limiting the flexibility of the Ministry of Health to respond to strategic needs.

Source: Folha de S.Paulo