FIPO challenges market distortions in private healthcare

FIPO has met with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to raise serious concerns that the private healthcare market is no longer operating as the CMA intended when it introduced the private healthcare market investigation order in 2014. As private healthcare becomes increasingly dominated by a small number of insurers, practitioners are facing mounting pressure on their fees and clinical freedom. FIPO presented evidence to the CMA demonstrating that market distortions have worsened since 2014, with insurers continuing to impose restrictions that limit both practitioner autonomy and patient choice. FIPO is calling on the CMA to review the effectiveness of the existing Market Investigation Order and to consider whether further regulatory action is required to restore competition in the sector.