Discovery, Netcare take issue with findings of industry probe
CEO Broomberg disagrees with finding of 'market failure'
South Africa's biggest healthcare companies, Discovery Health and Netcare, have defended their success in the market after the health market inquiry singled them out as examples of how highly concentrated the local market is. The Competition Commission initiated the inquiry into the private healthcare sector because it believed some features of the sector "prevent, distort or restrict competition". The inquiry's findings come as the government continues to grapple with how to provide South Africans with access to quality, affordable public and private healthcare. Former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, the inquiry panel chair who presented the provisional report at a media briefing on Thursday, said the inquiry ultimately found that the private healthcare sector was characterised by the high cost of healthcare. "The claims analysis shows that the commission's initial concern with affordability and escalation of healthcare expenditure is well founded," said Ngcobo. South Africa's health...
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