ANS Confirms SulAmérica Will Drop Einstein From 234 Health Plans

Regulator blocks 12 exclusions for lack of equivalent replacement; changes take effect on Dec. 31.

Dec 7, 2025 7:38 PM

By Brazil Stock Guide – Brazil’s health-insurance regulator, the Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar (ANS), confirmed that SulAmérica will remove Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein from the provider network of 234 health plans, following requests filed on Nov. 12. The confirmation comes after the insurer had already notified clients of the network cut and of the replacement of Einstein in part of its portfolio, as first reported by Brazil Stock Guide.

According to the regulator, the operator initially sought to remove the hospital from an even larger number of plans. The request was partially approved: in 12 plans, ANS barred the exclusion for lack of an equivalent replacement, ruling that the move would compromise beneficiary access — a breach of regulatory standards. All approved changes will take effect on Dec. 31, 2025.

Approved Substitutions

On the same date, SulAmérica formally notified ANS of the replacement of Albert Einstein by Sino Brasileiro Hospital, in Osasco, and Vila Nova Star, across 30 additional plans, securing full regulatory approval, according to regulator. Both hospitals belong to the Rede D’Or group, which also controls SulAmérica’s health-insurance operations. The move underscores the ongoing redesign of premium hospital networks, amid contract renegotiations, consolidation among large private groups, and sustained structural cost pressure.

Regulatory Guardrails

ANS reiterated that provider exclusions without an equivalent alternative are prohibited, particularly when high-complexity hospitals are involved. In the 12 blocked plans, the absence of comparable coverage made the withdrawal unfeasible. The remainder of the package, however, was deemed fully compliant with rules designed to preserve continuity and quality of care.

Sector Pressures

The changes come as health insurers face intensifying margin compression, driven by medical inflation, rising litigation, demographic aging, and tougher negotiations with top-tier hospitals. In response, operators across Brazil are undertaking sweeping revisions of their accredited networks in an effort to restore economic and operational balance.

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