In Brazil, there is the Unified Health System (SUS), and the concept of equity is already incorporated in the government healthcare policies, being one of the three main principles of SUS. The National Healthcare Policy for Older People incorporates equity and universality in the sense that healthcare is offered to all persons aged 60 years and over regardless of whether they have dementia (Brazilian Ministry of Health, 2006b). However, although all people in Brazil are offered the same right of accessing care through the SUS (funded by public sector), people who are better off tend to use healthcare services provided by the private sector through out-of-pocket payments or healthcare insurances. So, there is a selection bias among people who use SUS. But even those using the public services, face different realities depending on where they live because the quality of and access to health services may vary according to neighbourhoods and cities. The SUS principles include universality and equity, but this is different in the different parts of the country.

References:

Brazilian Ministry of Health. (2006b). Política Nacional de Saúde da Pessoa Idosa. Brazilian Ministry of Health. http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/saudelegis/gm/2006/prt2528_19_10_2006.html