Argentina’s Antitrust Commission has indicted private healthcare providers for allegedly forming a cartel, presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni confirmed on Thursday. The government is accusing the companies of colluding to fix prices between December 2023 and April 2024, when fees rose by an average of 150%.

In April, the Economy Ministry’s Industry and Trade Secretariat forced the companies to reverse the increases and ruled that prices could not rise by more than Argentina’s rate of inflation.

The spike in charges was possible because President Javier Milei’s 366-article mega-decree, which went into effect on December 29, deregulated the private healthcare sector.

The original accusations pointed to a December interview Claudio Belcopitt, president of the Argentine Health Union at the time, gave to Radio con Vos, alluding to a coordinated strategy to increase prices. The Argentine Health Union represents 75% of private medical organizations.

The indictment mentions companies including Galeno, Hospital Británico, Hospital Alemán, Medifé, Swiss Medical and OSDE, as well as the Argentine Health Union and Belocopitt. Belocopitt is also the head of Swiss Medical. The providers have 20 working days to present their defense and offer evidence to disprove the accusations. 

“If the alleged cartelization is proven, the government may fine the […] companies up to 30% of their turnover or up to double the illicit benefit obtained,” Adorni said in his daily press conference. 

“Price agreements are one of the most serious behaviors under antitrust regulations,” he said. “The government advocates free and competitive markets. In this new Argentina, there is no more room for this kind of greed.”