From 8 to 10 October 2024, AMO carried out unannounced inspections at the business premises of undertakings providing institutional health care services in Slovakia. The inspections were prompted by suspicions of a possible agreement among the undertakings to restrict competition, including through price agreements, sharing commercially sensitive information, and coordinating negotiation strategies with health insurance companies.

The focus of the investigation is on a potential horizontal agreement between direct competitors in the health sector, which could constitute a serious violation of competition rules and be classified as a hardcore cartel. Such an agreement, if proven, may have led to the suppression or weakening of competition during negotiations with health insurance companies, particularly concerning contractual terms and pricing.

If found guilty of anti-competitive behavior, the undertakings involved could face fines of up to 10% of their turnover for the previous financial year. However, it is important to note that the inspections by AMO do not automatically indicate a breach of competition laws, and the conclusions of the investigation are yet to be determined.

At this stage, AMO has not disclosed any further details regarding the ongoing case, maintaining confidentiality during the investigative process.