Brazil health insurance complaints among elderly rise 47%

Complaints from elderly beneficiaries regarding health insurance price adjustments in Brazil have risen by 47% between 2021 and 2025. According to data from the National Supplementary Health Agency (ANS), formal complaints regarding collective contract adjustments increased from 842 to 1,238 occurrences during this period.

A primary driver of this discontent is the regulatory disparity between plan types. While the ANS set a 5.11% cap for annual adjustments on individual plans in 2026, collective contracts remain without a stipulated percentage limit. This lack of a ceiling has led to fears among seniors regarding the sustainability of their medical coverage.

Legal experts note that while age-based increases are not automatically illegal, they must be clearly justified and comply with contractual terms and regulatory norms. The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) maintains that such increases are valid if they are contractually provided for and do not involve discriminatory or abusive percentages against the elderly.

In response to the rising complaints, the ANS is analyzing structural measures, such as implementing standard clauses for calculation rules and increasing the minimum group size required to mandate uniform adjustment indices. Meanwhile, the National Federation of Supplementary Health (FenaSaúde) argues that adjustments are necessary for the economic sustainability of the sector and result from direct negotiations between companies and operators.