Musilkova claims VZP losing clients following forced administration

The head of the largest state-owned health insurance company, Jirina Musilkova, has told Parliament the firm, known as the VZP, has been losing clients since being put under forced administration in November. By law, during forced administration clients are allowed to leave insurers on the 1st of every month. On Tuesday Mrs Musilkova said almost 9,000 clients had left the firm since mid-November, turning around the firm's first positive client numbers in years. But, the head of the Union of Health Insurance Companies, Jaromir Gajdacek, responded on Tuesday by saying the numbers were not dramatic - representing only 10 to 15 percent rise in the number than left the VZP during the same period last year.

The insurer has been under forced administration since November 10th. Its head, Jirina Musilkova, has promised to step down on January 1st.