THE arrival of the firstborn brings out the best in doting dads but enthusiasm wanes thereafter, according to a new survey.

The European Court has dismissed a case taken by the British health insurer BUPA against the risk equalisation scheme in Ireland.

VIVAS Health has expressed disappointment at the decision byt the European Court of First Instance to dismiss Bupa's challenge of risk equalisation in Ireland.

THE country’s largest private health insurer has confirmed the 10% budget hike in the cost of private beds in public hospitals is likely to be passed on to the consumer.

EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy has threatened to take the Government to court over the preferential treatment they give to the Voluntary Health Insurance (VHI).

Liam Casey of PCH International was named as Ernst and Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ at a ceremony in Dublin last night.

The inaugural National Health Screening Month was launched in Dublin today by VIVAS Health.

A NEW women’s health centre specialising in keyhole surgery for many gynaecological procedures opened in Dublin yesterday.

IRELAND’S shambolic health service looks set to deteriorate further following the Government’s 20% cut in financial payments by independent health insurance companies to Vhi Healthcare, the State-owned group.

BUPA’S subsidy payments to health insurance rival VHI could have been quartered if a fairer method of calculation was used, a consultant’s report has claimed.

Irish entrepreneurs will share the secrets of their success at the NovaUCD Entrepreneurs Live seminar series which commences on 3 April and runs until 24 April.

VIVAS Health is more interested in complaining than competing, the VHI insisted yesterday after learning the company has urged the European Commission to take immediate action against the State-owned private health insurer for abusing its dominant position.

THERE is a shocking level of ignorance about prostate cancer at a time when nearly 1,400 new cases are diagnosed every year, singer Ronan Keating warned yesterday.

The largest health insurer VHI should not receive any risk equalisation payments until its market share is significantly reduced, its competitor Vivas Health claimed yesterday.

THE uncertainty pervading Ireland’s health-insurance market has given way to a profound sense of relief for tens of thousands of former BUPA customers and its 300 workers.

Minister for Health Mary Harney today defended rushing emergency legislation through the Oireachtas to close a legal loophole allowing new entrants to the health insurance market to avoid expensive risk equalisation payments.

VHI Healthcare is calling for an immediate end to the three-and-a-half year exemption from risk equalisation.

MORE than 90% of BUPA customers up for renewal in February have contacted VIVAS Health to enquire about its products and services, VIVAS said yesterday.

FREE cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) tests are being held today in the IFSC as part of Health Action Week.

WITH companies lining up for Bupa’s lucrative business, following its decision to pull out of the Irish health insurance market, the British-owned group yesterday lost another hand in the high-stakes poker game surrounding the controversial issue of risk equalisation.

Minister for Health Mary Harney today defended a controversial Government scheme designed to bring fairness to health insurance after BUPA announced it was quitting Ireland in protest.

STANDING orders were suspended at a Cork County Council meeting yesterday, amid fears that a recent High Court ruling could jeopardise 500 BUPA jobs in Fermoy.

THE High Court’s decision to reject BUPA’s claim that risk equalisation was anti- competitive and illegal could kick-start real price competition in the health insurance market, a consumer watchdog said yesterday.

Insurance provider Hibernian Direct is to offer a health insurance plan to its customers in partnership with VIVAS Health, it was announced today.

Maurice Breen, the marketing director of Bulmers Limited, part of the C&C group, has been named marketer of the year.

VHI customers whose premiums have more than doubled since 1999 will have to pay 12.5% more for their care plans from September.

THE EBS Building Society has teamed up with VIVAS Health for a travel insurance promotion which means EBS members who sign up for health insurance with VIVAS before May 20 will receive free EBS global multi-trip travel insurance.

VIVAS Health has launched a new promotion which will see it providing free travel insurance for all new members who sign up during April.

VIVAS Health has announced from January 1, it will cover full costs for MRI scans referred by GPs to its 21 approved MRI scan centres.

VIVAS Health have announced plans to become the first health insurer in Ireland to offer cover for laser eye surgery.

The Government is protecting the dominant position of VHI in the Irish health insurance market rather than fostering competition, it was claimed today.

On July 6 an article headlined ‘Price hike may force patients to forgo insurance’ incorrectly attributed a quote – “In particular effects of such payments on competition and on the dominance of the incumbent have not been measured” – to Mercer Human Resources Consulting.

Caroline O’Doherty

STATE-OWNED VHI Healthcare, the dominant private medical insurer, was accused yesterday of being anti-consumer.

THE latest entrant to the health insurance market, Vivas health, has complained to the European Commission that the State is protecting the VHI from real competition.

The health insurance firm Vivas Health is to provide cover for private accident and emergency services at the new Galway Clinic at Doughiska near Galway city.

UP TO 11,500 VHI members are to be repaid a total of €423,000 after it emerged the company hadn’t fully refunded customers for treatments.

THE cost of private health insurance is expected to rise by at least 5% next year after the Government’s surprise announcement of a 25% price hike in the cost of private beds at public hospitals.

Health Insurance Company BUPA has said the entry of a third competitor into the market is good news for consumers and good news for them.

The new private health insurance company that entered the market today promised to challenge the lack of competition in the industry.

The VHI has questioned the motives of a new health insurance firm that entered the Irish market today.

Ireland's newest private health insurance company has vowed to offer policies to customers at significantly lower prices than those offered by the VHI and BUPA.

AIB today announced that it is taking a 30% stake in Vivas Health, a new privately-owned health insurance company, which plans to launch immediately.