Evaluating Health Technologies in the Brazilian Public and Supplementary Health Systems: Policy, Economic, and Public Health Implications

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) plays a critical role in guiding decision-making within the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde, SUS) and the supplementary (private) health sector. This article explores how the assessment of health technologies—ranging from innovative pharmaceuticals to digital health solutions—impacts political strategies, economic considerations, and public health outcomes in Brazil. We present a theoretical model that estimates whether investments in three areas—artificial intelligence (AI), improved communications, and another selected health area—lead to enhanced population health outweighing financial costs, without focusing on profit generation. By integrating data from the Brazilian DataSUS databases, we offer a real-world contextual grounding. We then propose a set of equations to illustrate a cost-effectiveness framework and subsequently generate Python-based data visualisations to demonstrate the interplay among costs, outcomes, and resource allocation. The findings contribute to ongoing debates about how best to utilise finite resources in both the public and private spheres, ensuring that technology adoption maximises societal benefit. We conclude with a discussion on implications for policy, regulation, and long-term sustainability, emphasising the need for robust evidence-based processes.