OFT urges disclosure of data in private healthcare market

A preliminary report by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has urged for greater transparency and comparability in the private healthcare market.

A lack of easily accessible information about doctors and private hospitals means that neither patients nor their GPs can work out which are the best providers in both money terms and expertise. In the absence of such information, GPs are left to make referrals based on “informal information” about quality.

The study found that because they don't need to reveal information about costs and results, private hospitals are not competing for patients with low prices and good quality service.

Instead, they are choosing to compete for consultants using financial incentives, at the cost of PMI holders.

The OFT recommend that the hospitals and consultants are forced to disclose data about their costs and performance. If this information is disclosed, private health insurers will be able to negotiate harder for lower prices.

The OFT has decided to hold to roundtables with a range of stakeholders in early September to discuss the issue, and the full report is expected before the New Year.

ActiveQuote is the only true price comparison website for quoting, comparing and buying health insurance in the UK. Not only do we quote the best prices, but we also show you the full details of every policy on offer.

Try our free Quote and Compare service or visit the About ActiveQuote page for more information.

PRESS RELEASE ActiveQuote.com, the UK’s first true price comparison website for private health insurance, has officially launched.  As well the revolutionary price comparison service it provides to...

Yesterday saw the launch of another online comparison website, Moneyhound from Australian Yahoo!7, a site that promises to save families up to $11,670. But with more and more comparison websites focusing...

Figures show that private health insurance may be a cheaper and safer option for UK patients than medical tourism. 2.65 million Britons have recently been or are planning to go abroad for medical treatment....

Patients with private health insurance will be the main beneficiaries of the Health and Social Care Bill, as NHS hospitals across England reveal plans to expand their private facilities. The NHS reforms,...

Private medical insurance comparison website ActiveQuote.com is pleased to announce the launch of its latest partnership with Confused.com ( www.confused.com ) Launched in 2002, Confused.com was the first...