Cancer accounted for the VHI's largest health insurance expense on any medical condition last year, with the five most expensive drugs used in its treatment being employed.
The disease accounted for 73,300 payouts totalling €144 million. New figures published yesterday by the insurer also show that the single largest payout last year was €221,000. This went to a member in the east who underwent a cardiac procedure and suffered complications.
The VHI statistics also identify an increase in sports injuries.
"The top 20 claims amounted to over €100,000 each while the top 10 claims paid by VHI Healthcare for the year totalled €2.7 million - almost 20 per cent more than the total of the top 10 claims in the previous year."
The insurer has some 75 per cent of the health insurance market amounting to some 1.57 million members.
The most expensive drug for the insurer last year was Hercepetin, which is used to treat breast cancer. Some 1,863 members required its use, averaging €2,793 per claim and totalling €5,203,321 over the period.
The VHI Health Check survey covers the 12-month period to the end of February 2007.
The four next most expensive drugs were: Avastin, used to treat bowel cancer; Mabthera, used to treat lymphatic cancer; Taxotere, used to treat lung cancer; and Oxaliplatin also used in the treatment of lung cancer.
Diseases requiring the most expensive treatment were cancer, followed by heart and cardiac-related conditions - €116 million for 41,800 claims. This was followed by orthopaedic - €98 million for 60,800 claims. Intestinal and digestion conditions cost €90 million for 56,400 claims and genito-urinary conditions cost €58 million, paid out for 36,800 claims.
Accidents and injuries resulted in more than €25 million worth of claims. These included: €8.74 million for domestic accidents; €4.32 million for falls; €3.3 million for sports injuries; €530,000 for accidents involving animals and €340,000 for industrial machinery accidents.
Dr Bernadette Carr, medical director of the VHI, said the figures showed high quality healthcare was expensive.
"Cancer-related illnesses remain the number one condition for which treatment is provided . . . While these treatments are expensive they can prolong the overall survival rates for our members and often allow them to continue with normal lifestyles between day-care admissions for treatment."
Dr Carr said accidents in the home were concentrated in the kitchen and bathroom areas.
"Sports injuries are also an area where we are experiencing increased numbers of claims and we recently announced we have reached agreement with the new sports surgery clinic in Swords to provide members with access to high quality treatment specifically relating to sports and movement injuries and conditions."
Other amounts paid out were €36.4 million for the delivery of some 15,000 babies. Some €17.7 million was spent on the treatment of alcoholism while €2.96 million went on diabetes treatment. Asthma accounted for €2,71 million and €840,000 was spent on drug addiction treatment.
Dr Carr said the VHI's tendering processes had achieved price reductions in the areas of diagnostics and MRI services.
VHI subscriptions have increased by some 25 per cent over the last two years, rising by 12.5 per cent last summer.
A further increase of 8.5 per cent comes into effect this month.
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