VHI premiums jump by two-thirds in five years

VHI CUSTOMERS have been hit by a 66% increase in premiums since 1999.

This has been driven largely by payouts on cancer drugs, costing the health insurer up to €20,000 per patient.

Over a five-year period, the VHI's payout on chemotherapy drugs jumped from €5.3 million to almost €18m - a 240% increase and the largest increase of all procedures covered.