The population covered by private healthcare insurance companies operating in the A.C. of the Basque Country in 2005 came to 319,788, meaning a rise of 2.8% as regards the previous year, according to Eustat data. The figure was the highest of the seven-year period (1999-2005) with collective health insurance contributing the most to this increase, registering a 54.6% increase in the number of people insured.

People with medical insurance with companies operating in the A.C. of the Basque Country represented 15.1% of the population. By province, this proportion rose to 20.2% in the case of Bizkaia, the province showing the greatest inclination towards healthcare insurance, followed by Álava (12.3%) and Gipuzkoa (8%).

Number of policy holders by type of policy 1999-2005

Source: Eustat

The individual or family type of policy covered the greatest number of people (48.2%), followed by collective insurance (aimed at companies or other specific groups) with 34.6% and public mutual societies (17,2%). The greatest growth, as regards 2004, was once more among people covered by collective insurance, with a 9.4% increase, similar to the figure seen in the State (9.9%). On the other hand, the number of people insured by public mutual societies also increased, albeit slightly (0.3%), As for those people with individual or family insurance, there was a decrease (-0.7%).

The vast majority of policy holders (98%) still preferred private medical insurance with general healthcare coverage, rather than other specific care (such as dental insurance).

The total value of premiums collected by the insurance healthcare sector in 2005 came to 169.7 million euros, representing approximately 4.4% of the State total and 0.3% of the GDP of the A.C. of the Basque Country. In relation to 2004, the volume of premiums grew by 7.1%, below the growth level seen in the rest of the State (9.5%).

The average premium per policy holder for the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole was 531 euros, lower than that registered in the State (540 euros). This average premium grew by 4.1% in relation to 2004, while in the State it did so by 6.1%. The lowest average premium corresponded to collective insurance (509 euros) and the highest to the individual or family type (544 euros).

People with medical healthcare insurance made a total of 1,220,522 medical visits charged to the insurance companies (3.3% more than in 2004), meaning an average of 3.8 visits to the doctor per policy holder, just over half the 7.2 visits made on average in the public sector (hospitals and outpatient centres). The most common specialities were traumatology, gynecology and obstetrics, pediatrics and ophthalmology.

As for hospital care, patients coming from medical insurance companies gave rise to a total of 49,236 hospital admissions, 4.9% more than the previous year, with an average stay of 3.1 days. A total of 33,117 surgical operations were performed, 2.9% more than the previous year, of which the most frequent involved the specialities of general surgery, traumatology, ophthalmology and gynecology.

Evolution of Private Medical-Pharmaceutical Insurance Companies

(*) ICEA (Co-operative research between insurance companies and pensions funds)

Source: Eustat