BUPA appeal delays start of risk equalisation scheme

THE Supreme Court has agreed to continue a stay on the introduction of risk equalisation in the Irish health insurance market pending the hearing of an appeal by BUPA against the High Court’s rejection last December of its challenge to the validity of the scheme.

The three-judge court of Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman, Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan and Mr Justice Nial Fennelly yesterday granted an application by BUPA for the stay to continue until the hearing of the company’s appeal. A date for that appeal has yet to be fixed.

Last December, BUPA lost on all grounds its High Court challenge to the validity of the Risk Equalisation Scheme (RES).