This paper discusses the regulatory role that would fit the National Supplementary Health Agency (ANS), from the results of researches and studies on the practices of micro-regulation performed by private managed care companies on hospital providers they contract. It is based on several studies, especially on the research by Ugá el al (2007), whose results allowed the questioning of issues related to the necessary regulation of some elements of the relationship between health managed care companies and hospital providers, key to ensuring access and qualification of health care received by customers of those companies, as well as the importance that hospital providers have for the public health system, SUS. The paper aims, therefore, from the studies on the subject, to reflect on the regulatory role to be played by ANS in the contractual relations between managed care companies and providers and on the role that would fit to the SUS on this matter.
health regulation; managed care companies and private hospitals; regulation theory