Giulia Keese Montanhesi
Lawyer at Marcos Martins Advogados
On June 2, 2020, the virtual plenary of the Federal Senate approved Bill No. 1542/2020, authored by Senator Eduardo Braga (MDB/AM), which provides for the amendment of Law No. 13,979/2020, providing for the suspension of the annual price adjustment of medicines and private health care plans and insurance, for a period of 120 days (60 days more than provided for in article 3-A).
The bill proposes that medicines and private healthcare plans and insurance have their price adjustments suspended in order to make it possible for patients to access these substances and avoid price increases. According to the bill’s author, this is not a price freeze, but a measure that will help save lives during the pandemic.
A total of 46 amendments were tabled to Bill 1542 of 2020, most of which sought to extend the period for suspending price increases for medicines and health insurance premiums for the entire duration of the public health emergency caused by covid-19.
The text is now awaiting analysis and approval by the Chamber of Deputies, as a priority.
