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ICA: investigation launched against RBM and Previmedical for alleged unfair commercial practices reported by over 1,000 consumers
PS11828 - ICA: investigation launched against RBM and Previmedical for alleged unfair commercial practices reported by over 1,000 consumers
Many problems were encountered by policyholders including excessive evidentiary documentation, delays in issuing benefits authorizations, difficulty/inability to access call centers for information, failure to provide reimbursements without clear reason.
Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato has opened - following over 1,000 complaints - an investigation against Intesa Sanpaolo RBM Salute S.p.A. and Previmedical - Servizi per Sanità Integrativa S.p.A. for two alleged unfair commercial practices in the offer of insurance services.
In particular, Intesa Sanpaolo RBM Salute S.p.A. and Previmedical S.p.A. allegedly carried out an aggressive commercial practice, consisting of conducts and omissions aimed at hindering the exercise of the rights deriving from the contractual relationship, inducing consumers/policyholders to renounce the economic and welfare benefits to which they would have been entitled.
The policyholders, in fact, were allegedly confronted with requests for excessive evidentiary documentation, delays in issuing authorizations for direct services or withdrawal of the authorization already issued, difficulty/impossibility of accessing the call centers of the companies to request information, failure to provide reimbursements without clear reason or on the basis of pretextual reasons, assessments on the appropriateness of the prescriptions issued by doctors to consumers, inadequacy and lack of transparency in the handling of complaints.
In addition, both RBM and Previmedical allegedly carried out a misleading commercial practice by spreading an advertising message in the press in which the "RBM Waiting List Stop Policy" was untruthfully proposed as a solution for those who are "tired of the times of the National Health Service". Such a conduct, if proved, would violate articles 20, paragraph 2, 21 and 22, of the Consumer Code.
Yesterday, on 25 November, inspections were carried out at the premises of the two companies involved in the investigation, in collaboration with the Special Unit of the Guardia di Finanza (Italian Finance Police).
Rome, 26 November 2020
Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato
Piazza G. Verdi, 6/a
Tel: +39.06.85.82.11
Fax: +39.06.85.82.12.56
PEC: protocollo.agcm@pec.agcm.it
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United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)