Abstract

Health care reforms in Latin America seek to potentiate primary care and to redefine care models on the basis of targeted care packages. In most cases countries attempt to strength the public system financed through health care insurance, and in few cases, universality has been sought, which leads to problems of inequity and centralization.
Another element that defines the management model is the extent of government participation in the health care system.
In order to assess sanitary reforms, we need to take into account five driving principles: equity, efficacy, sustainability, participation, and accountability of health care systems and services.
Finally, the problems that health reforms encounter in Latin America range from those who develop them, to the mobility of the maximum health authorities of the countries, to beneficiary dissatisfaction.