Hungarian health market lifts

Two companies already active on the Hungarian insurance market are gearing up for the forthcoming restructuring of the health insurance sector. Due to the infancy of private healthcare provision, there are a limited number of health insurance products available in Hungary. Until recently only a few insurers had been offering fixed-sum-per-day payments in case of hospitalisation. Nationale-Nederlanden, the country’s largest life insurer, with a 30% market share, will offer private medical provision in state hospitals by hiring beds and employing its own nursing and medical staff. No payments will be made to policyholders but the insurer will reimburse the hospital for the costs incurred. These arrangements will also relieve patients from the pressure of having to offer tips to medical staff – a controversial feature of the Hungarian state healthcare system. Nationale-Nederlanden already has a licence to write health insurance in Hungary.