The Dutch consumer and markets authority says hospitals and insurance companies should publish their prices, so patients can better chose where to be treated.

Currently, the agreements between hospitals and insurers are secret because they are considered to be confidential information. But the ACM says patients, who are all faced with an own-risk charge of at least €375, need to be able to compare prices.

ACM chairman Chris Fonteijn told the NRC he supports complete openness but that he recognises the need to keep confidential information which is competition-sensitive.

The Dutch health authority NZ has also been taken to court over price transparency, the NRC says.