Ireland, whose health insurance industry has recently fallen into the media spotlight following the decision by BUPA to leave the country due to unfair regulations, have now been sent a formal notice by the European Commission.
Ireland has been asked to provide its observations on key legislation in the Irish health insurance market, in what are being regarded as the first stage in legal proceedings. Ireland has to comment on why the Irish Voluntary Health Insurance Board (VHI) are exempt from some EU rules. VHI is a part-state body.
The commission has apparently received a formal complaint (not currently linked to BUPA) that VHI are operating in the Irish private health insurance market illegally. Ireland must now to reply to the EU letter within a month, at which point the case will either be closed or the legislation will have to be changed.




