Widespread tax boost to Brazilian healthcare:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The Brazilian Congress has approved a new health tax which is expected to raise Cr$ 4,500 million ($4,500 million) towards public health spending. The tax will run throughout 1997 bringing in 0.2% of almost every transaction in the country and is seen as a temporary, if highly vigorous, way of resolving the problem of a deteriorating health service. However, the tax has prompted much opposition from the private sector and those who helped set up Brazil's latest Real plan, which has cut inflation from 50% a month two years ago to a more manageable 1% reports The Lancet (August 10th).