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Increase disclosed by ANS is the lowest in five years, but still pressures millions of beneficiaries linked to collective plans
The average adjustment for collective health plans reached 9.9% in the first two months of 2026, according to data released by the National Supplementary Health Agency, ANS, on May 9, 2026. This variation is the lowest in the last five years and, even so, remained above the official inflation measured in the same period. The information confirms the range anticipated on April 23, 2026, when reports indicated that increases for this type of product would be between 9% and 10%. This movement shows that collective contracts continue to be one of the main sources of pressure on the budgets of companies, associations, and beneficiaries of supplementary health.
Lower adjustment still remains above official inflation
The average increase of 9.9% was far from the IPCA, which registered 3.81% in February 2026, according to the official index cited in the survey. ANS states that it is not correct to make a simple comparison between inflation and plan adjustments, as healthcare costs follow their own dynamics. Unlike individual and family plans, collective plans have adjustments defined by free negotiation between the contracting legal entity and the plan operator or administrator. Therefore, the increase may vary according to the contract size, the operator’s portfolio, and the group of beneficiaries.
Smaller contracts saw stronger increases
ANS data shows a significant difference between contracts analyzed in the first two months of 2026. Plans with 30 or more beneficiaries, known in the sector as contracts with 30 lives or more, had an average adjustment of 8.71%. Contracts with up to 29 clients, however, registered an average increase of 13.48%. In these smaller cases, the adjustment follows the group of contracts of the operator itself. In this way, the agency can observe averages by size and identify how increases are distributed in the market.
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Collective plans concentrate the majority of beneficiaries
The latest ANS data, referring to March 2026, indicates that Brazil had 53 million health plan affiliations. This number represents an increase of 906 thousand affiliations in one year and reinforces the sector’s dimension in the country. Out of every 100 clients, 84 were in collective plans. Furthermore, 77% of beneficiaries belonged to contracts with 30 lives or more. This structure explains why collective adjustments have a broad impact, even though the correction rule is different from that applied to individual plans.
Pandemic explains last lower adjustment
The last time collective plans registered an average adjustment lower than the current one was in 2021, when the increase was 6.43%. In that year, the Covid-19 pandemic reduced the number of consultations, exams, and elective surgeries due to social isolation. With fewer non-urgent procedures, healthcare costs temporarily decreased. After this period, the resumption of healthcare service usage once again influenced the adjustments applied by operators.
Financial result of the sector broadens the debate
The supplementary health sector ended 2025 with total revenues of R$ 391.6 billion, according to ANS. The accumulated net profit reached R$ 24.4 billion, the highest ever recorded. In practice, this means that for every R$ 100 received, companies obtained approximately R$ 6.20 in profit. This financial result gained relevance because it appears in the same context where adjustments continue to be above official inflation and affect millions of affiliations in collective contracts.
The adjustment in a broader context
The average increase of 9.9% shows a deceleration compared to previous years, but it does not eliminate the pressure on beneficiaries. Smaller contracts remain more exposed to high adjustments, while larger contracts concentrate the majority of consumers. This behavior reinforces the importance of monitoring correction rules, the difference between modalities, and ANS’s role in monitoring indices. Thus, the 2026 adjustment becomes part of a broader discussion about the cost, access, and sustainability of supplementary health.
The future of collective plans in family budgets
Companies, associations, and beneficiaries closely monitor adjustments because collective plans represent the majority of supplementary health in Brazil. The smallest variation in five years reduces some of the pressure, but the index above inflation maintains concern about the weight of monthly fees. Meanwhile, the difference between large and small contracts shows that the impact does not reach all consumers equally.
What should weigh more in the discussion: the control of adjustments to protect beneficiaries or the preservation of the financial balance of operators?
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