ALMOST half the State's private hospitals have signed agreements with the British health insurance company, BUPA, according to the chief executive of the Independent Hospital Association of Ireland (IHAI).
Mr Michael Heavey said yesterday that eight private hospitals had signed agreements and a ninth was finalising a deal. The IHAI represents 19 private hospitals, which constitute 90 per cent of private hospitals in the State.
Mr Heavey, attacking the record of the VHI, told the IHAI conference in Dublin that the VHI had been "lazy", "basking in the sunlight of State-protected monopoly for decades".
The former VHI chief executive, Mr Brian Duncan, who was in the audience, said the VHI represented extremely good value for money. We don't have any expectations that BUPA or anyone else is going to provide better value for money.
The conference was opened by the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, who called for a white paper on health insurance. He also called for a health service audit to prevent another hepatitis C scandal.
