Since 1988, Brazil has reorganized and expanded its public healthcare system, defining access to healthcare as a right of every citizen. In parallel, the private healthcare sector grew rapidly to become one of the largest in the world. We explore the use of public and private health care by a low-income population living a favela, Rio das Pedras, in Rio de Janeiro. At the time of data collection, only part of the community was covered by the primary health care program. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 adults, both with and without access to the public primary care program. Regardless of program coverage, participants noted barriers and negative experiences while accessing public healthcare. The perceived inability of health professionals to deal compassionately with a low-income population was prominent in their narratives, and in the expressed motivation for pursuing private sector healthcare alternatives. We explore the tension arising from the more recent rights-based healthcare provision and historic social control and assistentialist framing of state intervention in Brazilian favelas.