Facts ‘conjured up’ in VIVAS complaint, says VHI

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.

The complaint made by VIVAS to EU Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes also calls for action to be taken against the Irish State for supporting anti-competitive practices.

VIVAS has alleged that the situation had distorted competition in the private health insurance market. The company’s chief executive Oliver Tattan accused the VHI of violating the requirements of Article 82 of the EC treaty. He also claimed that last January the Irish Competition Authority (ICA), in its report on the state of competition in the Irish private health insurance sector, unequivocally found that the VHI was abusing its dominant position.