EUR 400 million - potential for private health insurance
 The private health insurance market has a potential of EUR 400 million, but only 12% of it could be reached by 2012, according to estimates made by Polish research company PMR. According to the analysis, the profile segment will experience growth in the coming years, and insurers will begin to "take" patients from healthcare providers. "Private insurance market has developed quite slowly, in the absence of a regulatory framework to define the minimum package of services and tax incentives. Currently, the minimum package covers a wide range of services that prevent private insurers to create complete and more sophisticated offers for their customers", it is also said in the analysis.
This scenario seems to be quite optimistic, considering the problems of under-financing faced by the Romanian health insurance system. Thus, in 2009, insurers reported underwritings of EUR 6.77 million worth on this segment, down by about 29% compared to 2008, according to the specialty review INSURANCE Profile.
The analysis of the Polish company also shows that the private healthcare services market in Romania, which includes payments from own sources, subscriptions and private health insurance, will increase by 13% this year, up to EUR 420 million, and it will exceed EUR 600 million in 2012. Also, all major networks of clinics rely this year on revenues 10-50% higher, and the main providers of private healthcare services plan to invest, over the next two to three years, over EUR 200 million in private hospitals.
"Mandatory health insurance barely covers payments for treatments, and Romanians in general are complaining about the quality of services in the public system and about the lack of modern treatments, available only in private units. In 2010, the public health system will have difficulties with financing, which will affect the services in hospitals, encouraging more clients to migrate to the private sector. As a result of increased living standards, the Romanians are no longer willing to tolerate poor management, unprofessional appearance and lack of attention and kindness in public units", says the analysis.
Regarding subscriptions, now a standard offer in the salary package offered by a large number of companies, providers expect a stagnation of this segment on the corporate part and a strong growth on retail. Subscriptions guarantee minimum service, additional payments being required for more expensive treatments. Most subscriptions are offered for dental services, laboratory, diagnostic, maternity and gynecology.
Last year, there were approximately 380,000 subscribers in the private system, as shown in the PMR data.
Author: Oleg DORONCEANU
on 24.03.2010
Comment this article
0 comments
|
