Gardaí probe possible price fixing on medical reports

AN investigation into possible price fixing of fees charged by doctors for medical reports on patients by the Competition Authority and the gardaí is at an early stage, it was confirmed yesterday.

The authority is now examining a number of files seized from the Irish Medical Organisation’s (IMO) headquarters in Dublin during a raid on Wednesday.

The investigation is focused on fees charged for medical reports compiled by GPs on patients applying for insurance. The fee for the reports is agreed between the IMO and the Irish Insurance Federation. The authority is concerned the fee, which is paid by the insurance companies, may be fixed.

The authority obtained a search warrant from a district court judge to enter and search the IMO’s premises in Fitzwilliam Place. A spokesperson for the authority said the warrant would not have been given unless the judge had reasonable grounds to believe there could be evidence of a breach of the law.

He stressed however, that the warrant was not an indication of illegal activity and added that the investigation was at an early stage.

A spokesperson for the IMO would only confirm its offices had been visited by officials from the authority. “We had a visit from the Competition Authority. There is an investigation in progress and we are co-operating fully with it,” she said.

The spokesperson said the IMO could not comment further because the examination was now underway.

Insurance companies ask for a medical report from doctors to assess a person’s insurance risk for life insurance, pension, mortgage insurance, and other financial products. When applying for a product, patients sign a confidentiality waiver allowing the insurance company to go to their GP to get the form filled out.