Between legal philosophy and public health: The performance's concept in Brazilian Decree 7508/2011 vis-à-vis the comprehensive care, under the postpositivism headlight

Abstract

The aim of this study was analyze the performance notion presented by Decree 7,508/2011 and its relationship to the managerialism in public administration in dialogue with comprehensive care. Methodologically, it was used the Decree 7,508/2011 as normative document for review and interpretation in a post-positivist perspective, especially in the paragraphs related to performance. After analysis, it was possible to elucidate latent arguments to the legal text that demonstrate the managerialism character of the performance idea with several interpretative implications for the understanding of the right to access, specifically with regard to comprehensive care in regional health systems. It was concluded that the managerialist performance in this decree, when it was interpreted by postpositivism approach, instead of promoting the effectiveness of the right to health through public policy, provides the restriction of access to the system for the direct provision.