Effects of constitutional amendment Nº. 29/2000 on health lease in Brazil

Objectives: The Constitutional Amendment nº 29 of 2000 (CA nº 29/2000) was approved to guarantee financial resources for public health and to involve and hold the three governmental spheres responsible for financing the public health sector in Brazil and to analyze the allocative decisions of the States and the Federal District. Methods: inferential, explanatory, quantitative, and qualitative research, approached with the use of the empirical method to analyze historical series of allocations of expenditures destined to health by the States and the Federal District concerning CA nº 29/ 2000. The data had analyzed through the application of mathematical methods and statistical techniques used in econometrics. Results: the differences in the socioeconomic and tax environments of the states had been found to produce different decisions in the public health sector. In the period analyzed, CA nº. 29 and net revenue per capita influenced the variability of the percentages applied in health. However, the financial resources obtained were not able to ensure improvement in public health services. Conclusions: managers do not have the necessary training to promote changes that aim to improve effectiveness and efficiency, in addition to the interference of political factors in the sector that compromise technical and operational criteria.