ALLOCATION OF INDIVIDUAL PARLIAMENTARY AMENDMENTS: CORRECTION OF ASYMMETRY IN HEALTH OR POLITICAL GAIN?

correção de assimetria em saúde ou ganho político?

Abstract

The Brazilian Public Administration presents important innovations since the Federal Constitution of 1988, among them, the possibility, through parliamentary amendments, for the legislative power to direct the Annual Budget Law. And, among them, there are the individual parliamentary amendments (EPI), which are presented as an opportunity for the parliamentarian to benefit regions with greater needs, especially in health, as well as to privilege their electoral stronghold, in order to guarantee political survival. Thus, this article aims to identify which indicators, health needs or political gain, favor the indication of  EPI for health (EPIS). For this purpose, multiple linear regression with panel data was performed for Brazilian municipalities that raised funds via EPIS, in the period 2012-2018. As a main result, it was identified that the allocation of EPIS is driven by a combination of technical factors, which consider the need for health, and political factors. And that parliamentarians and voters seek to maximize their interests, these, local policies, and those, staying in power, with political networks being very important in this process. However, it is important, in the allocation of EPIS, a greater commitment to technical factors, in order to improve the conditions of the public health system.