Analysis of network dynamics of Market concentration in healthcare companies in Brazil

Abstract

The promulgation of Law No. 13,097 / 15 extended the possibility of the participation of foreign companies in the health area in Brazil, until then accessible to some sectors, such as supplementary health. In this context, this paper seeks to characterize the dynamics of the networks of operations of economic concentration acts in hospitals and health plans in Brazil. For such purpose, data were collected from the processes available on the website of the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), organized from the corporate structure, originated by investors (foreign or national) and analyzed using network analysis software. In data analysis, 93 acts of economic concentration were identified from 2009 to 2017, the participation of 12 foreign companies with predominant origin from the United States of America. These acts of concentration evidenced the formation of a robust network composed of three economic groups with predominantly foreign corporate control and a latent need to establish policies to analyze the risks and benefits of this new reality to the Brazilian health market. In another scenario, potential reflexes in the Brazilian health system will be fortunate.