It is expected that they will be in single digits increases at health insurance premiums of insurance companies for 2025 after stern warning Theodorikakos that planned 14.6% increases are not going to be tolerated and the government is ready to step in.

Information indicates that the insurance companies have already lowered the threshold of their claims to close to 9%, with the Ministry of Development pushing for even lower levels.

It is recalled that earlier today the Minister of Development Takis Theodorikakos mentioned the government’s intention to undertake a legislative initiative in the immediate future to deal with the exorbitant increases in health insurance premiums, sending a strict message to insurance companies not to make exorbitant increases.

Answering a topical question from Milena Apostolaki from PASOK, the Minister admitted that there is an issue with the IOBE health index, stressing that it will be re-evaluated.

Mr. Theodorikakos announced that the government will soon intervene legislatively to establish a new health index, this time by EL.STAT, in order to have transparency in the pricing of services as well as constant and continuous information to the citizens. However, he pointed out that increases of 14.6% predicted by the IOBE index will not be accepted.

“They are not acceptable and we call on insurance companies to adapt to this. We are interested in the capital adequacy of insurance companies. Companies must adapt. I believe there will be an adjustment immediately. In another case, the government has shown that it has the ability, as it did with the banks or with the ceiling on professional rent increases, to take measures,” he said.

He also asked the Competition Commission to proceed quickly with the completion of the audit for the existence or non-existence of cartels in the field of private health.

Giving the data, the Minister of Development said that today there are 900 thousand private health contracts in force and of these 255 thousand are for life, which actually have significant increases in recent years resulting in their reduction. Lifetime contracts from 711 thousand in 2011 reached 370 thousand in 2018, due to the great crisis and the memorandums.

“Since the first month at the Ministry of Development I have discussed with all consumer associations and the issue has been raised in repeated meetings in the government with the participation of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Competition Commission” explained Mr. Theodorikakos and underlined that the main thing is to continue the reform policy of the National Health Service, so that the citizens can enjoy the best services from the public health system. “I intend to appeal to the Competition Commission again and request the immediate announcement of control on the existence of cartels in the field of private health, as is its duty and responsibility. He should quickly complete the relevant control and make announcements about what he found,” he said.