Essential Support
Odebrecht offers its members five kinds of health plans from two insurance Companies How to use your health plan responsibly
written by ◦ Karolina Gutiez photos by ◦ Holanda Cavalcanti & Eduardo Moody

When the team at OCS – Odebrecht Administradora e Corretora de Seguros, the Group’s captive insurance company, chose the health plans the organization makes available to its members and their dependents in Brazil, they decided to offer them in the form of insurance policies. That decision was based on one of the principles of Odebrecht’s Health Policy: each individual is responsible for promoting his or her own health, including taking preventive measures. Therefore, health care is just one aspect of maintaining the individual’s quality of life.

For that purpose, Odebrecht members and their dependents can rely on the services of two Brazilian insurance companies, Bradesco and Sul América, which provide five types of health plans with the same coverage. The quality of care is the same, but members can choose the plan that best suits their needs, such as the amount reimbursed for doctors’ visits, the service network and type of hospital accommodations.

Today, approximately 38 million Brazilians use private health services, which receive investments of BRL 34 billion per year. “The benefits of the health plans Odebrecht offers enable users to have access to the finest laboratories and hospitals and the best clinics available in Brazil,” says Eduardo Bulgarelli, Responsible for Planning and Information at Braskem.

Nevertheless, health costs are increasing at an accelerated rate due to the rapidly aging population and the smaller number of active contributors to the national health system, which is increasing the demand for health services and reducing the amount of funds collected. Advances in medical science have also led to increased prices, because they make new technologies and treatments available while often continuing to use previously available therapies. Furthermore, health systems focus on curing diseases rather than preventing them, which raises costs even more.

In view of this situation, OCS’s decision to offer health insurance enables users and the Odebrecht Group to determine the monthly amount paid for health care in advance for a given period. By using health plans, the company transfers the risk to the insurers. Odebrecht invests over BRL 19.5 million in health insurance annually for all company members, facilitating access to health care for them and their dependents. Odebrecht also offers users specific health plans that provide coverage for unmarried children over the age of 24, parents, in-laws, and unmarried siblings, so that they can also have access to quality health care at half the market price.

In 2000, Odebrecht adopted the system of co-sharing insurance premiums for doctor’s visits and tests to encourage members to use these services more judiciously, since they are considered low-risk events (those which are more frequent but less serious, compared with hospital admissions and surgery, which are less frequent, but more serious). Users contribute a percentage of the value of those routine medical services, but do not pay for hospital stays or surgery. Cícero Xavier dos Santos, Responsible for People Administration on the Line 4 (Yellow Line) project for the São Paulo Metro, believes that members’ families must also be sensitized about the need to use health plans responsibly. “Co-sharing is an important tool for showing members and their dependents how to make the best use of their plan.”

Patrícia Alves de Souza, Accounts Manager at Braskem’s Chlor-Alkali Unit, observes that the coverage of the plan is perfect for her work in sales. “I travel to the interior of São Paulo and to other Brazilian states at least three times a week. Even in the state capital, I spend several hours a day in transit, and run into situations that put my health at risk. Therefore, my plan has to have options available in several parts of the country.”

According to Oswaldo Cortez, the officer responsible for Personnel Administration at Construtora Norberto Odebrecht, the International Labor Organization (ILO) is aware of the needs of people like Patrícia. The ILO ranks health care among the “portable benefits” that can be used anywhere. They also include life insurance and private pension plans. “They are all focused on people’s survival. Based on my experience in this area, I would say that health care is one of the most important benefits a person can have.”

Bettina Skelton, Responsible for Insurance at OCS, observes that policies undergo a thorough monthly assessment that includes an evaluation of indicators of use and factors that can cause significant impacts. “The objective of all this is to ensure that the plans are viable, offering quality services and consistently competitive prices.” Bettina also points out that people must use their health plans responsibly in order to achieve these objectives. “Mutualism is the principle underlying mutual insurance: everyone pays for it and some people use it. Excessive and frivolous use of health services, unnecessary and duplicate testing, and trying out new technologies out of curiosity and lack of knowledge of the correct procedures have a negative impact on our results and a direct effect on driving up the prices of health plans.”