Harney urged to call Bupa's bluff

ALMOST 400,000 Bupa customers and employees face uncertainty after a threat by the health insurer to pull out of Ireland over new regulations it says will favour its rival, VHI.

The threat was dismissed by health service union Amicus as a "childish tantrum" while Labour described it as a "crude attempt at blackmail".

Both urged Health Minister Mary Harney to call the company's bluff by implementing new rules which were formally recommended yesterday by industry regulator, the Health Insurance Authority.