VHI Healthcare chief executive, Jimmy Tolan, has resigned his position and is to leave the company later this year.

Vhi Healthcare chief executive Jimmy Tolan has informed the board of directors that he intends to step down to peruse a career in the private sector.

HEALTH Minister James Reilly intends telling VHI “in much firmer tones” of his concern about cost control measures being taken by the state-owned insurer.

VHI has promised that controversial price hikes of up to 45% in premiums this year are unlikely to be repeated in 2012 if the Government increases the current level of tax credits for elderly customers of health insurance firms.

THOUSANDS of angry and concerned VHI members jammed the call centres of health insurance companies and the Health Insurance Authority as they sought information on how to avoid price increases of 15%-45% announced by the VHI on Thursday.

IF the announcement that price hikes ranging from 15% to 45% in VHI premiums from next month was not bad enough, the company’s chief executive, Jimmy Tolan, has warned that continuing increases in the cost of health cover over the coming years is practically inevitable.

ANNOUNCING staggering increases — up to 45% — in health insurance premiums the very month budget cuts plunder families’ wage packets and child benefit, VHI chief executive Jimmy Tolan said yesterday that Ireland’s health insurance market was broken.

VHI Healthcare has warned that the annual cost of funding illness claims over the next 10 years will increase by at least 6% to 7%, compounding fears that the upward spiral in premiums will continue.

VHI made a post-tax loss of €41.7m euro in 2009.

A man wanted in the North for kidnapping a well-known republican in Belfast six years ago appeared before the High Court in Dublin today, following his arrest in the Republic on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.

THE failure of the VHI to meet regulatory requirements cost its own chief executive at least €104,458 in salary and benefits last year.

THE country’s largest private health insurance provider has warned that older customers will end up paying more for their healthcare unless a new “robust mechanism” is introduced to overhaul the health insurance sector.

VHI Healthcare is to increase its charges by an average of 8%.

HALF of patient-overcharging claims investigated by VHI Healthcare are upheld, prompting the private health insurer to beef up its special investigations unit (SIU) to clamp down on billing errors.

VHI which dominates the health insurance market with a 68% market share will need a capital injection of “at least €100m” to bring its solvency ratios into line.

VHI, the country’s largest health insurer, suffered a €65 million loss in the 10- months to December 2008.

THE VHI has denied the e20 million in savings it is using to slash the cost of child cover is “fat’” from the private healthcare system.

Vhi Healthcare today announced that Mary Harney, Minister for Health & Children has appointed Mr Jimmy Tolan and Mr Declan Moran to the Board of Vhi Healthcare with effect from May 1.

FYFFES’ chief executive Jimmy Tolan will succeed Vincent Sheridan as head of VHI Healthcare.

A project to wean the Galapagos Islands off fossil fuels, which includes three giant wind turbines on one of the World Heritage site islands, was officially launched today.

CONCERN continues to grow about Kerry’s appalling road safety record.

Kidnap victim Shawn Hornbeck appeared poised and stoic in his first major television interview after his four-year abduction.

Glentoran boss Roy Coyle shook up his strike-force for the second leg of the Champions League first qualifying round clash with Shelbourne at Tolka Park tonight.

A Dublin man with ten previous criminal convictions was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, at the Central Criminal Court today.

A surgeon told a murder trial today that two wounds found in the deceased’s heart during autopsy, presumed to be caused by a stabbing, were actually caused by him and a colleague.

A Court in Northern Ireland has heard the claim that the alleged abduction of republican dissident Bobby Tohill in February was not connected to any paramilitary group.

IRA membership charges were dropped against four men accused yesterday of kidnapping top dissident republican leader Bobby Tohill in Belfast.

Supporters of four men accused of a thwarted kidnap attempt on a top dissident republican in Belfast applauded as they were led from the dock today.

Gardaí in Dublin are continuing to question a 23-year-old man arrested yesterday in connection with the death of another man following a shooting on Tuesday.

Gardaí have arrested two people in connection with the murder of Jason Tolan in Dublin yesterday.

Gardai were today expecting an early arrest after the country’s 20th shooting fatality so far this year.

A DISABILITY group set up by the Government is seeking an urgent meeting with the Taoiseach over concerns that anticipated legislation will fall far short of what was expected.