Further investigation needed into merger between hospitals in the The Hague area

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) decided that the merger between two Dutch hospital groups, Stichting Bronovo-Nebo Foundation and Stichting Medisch Centrum Haaglanden, requires a license. 

After the merger, two large hospital combinations in the The Hague area would be created: the De Bronovo-MCH combination and the HagaZiekenhuis-Reinier de Graaf combination. A key question in the possible in-depth investigation is whether health insurers after the merger will continue to be able to protect the interests of their clients with regard to quality and price. Insurers have different opinions about this question.

Chris Fonteijn, Chairman of the Board of ACM, comments: ‘Opinions of health insurers and patient organizations play an important role in our assessments of mergers between hospitals. Based on the preliminary investigation, it turns out that opinions are divided among health insurers. Further investigation is needed to get more clarity on this issue.’

If these hospitals decide to apply for a merger license, ACM will launch a further investigation into the merger’s effects on patients and health insurers.