Compliance with Constitutional Amendment 29 in Brazil

Abstract

Constitutional Amendment 29, passed in 2000, set the minimum percentages of budget resources that the Federal, State, and Municipal governments are required to spend on public health. Taking a descriptive approach, this article aims to verify the compliance with Amendment 29 at various levels of government, from 2000 to 2003. Data were obtained from the Public Health System Budget Database (SIOPS). From 2000 to 2003, there was a cumulative deficit with the Unified National Health System (SUS) of R$1.8 billion on the part of the Federal government and R$5.29 billion by the States. In 2000, 59% of the States complied with Amendment 29. In 2001, only 33% complied. Some 41% reached the target in 2002 and 52% in 2003. The SIOPS database showed that the average spending on health by Municipalities reached 13.67%, 14.82%, 16.54%, and 17.4% in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, respectively.