The Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) has authorized the acquisition of Clínica Gaias Lugo by Grupo Ribera Salud, through Hospital Polusa, with specific commitments aimed at mitigating competition issues.

This acquisition primarily affects the healthcare sector in Lugo, particularly for private patients not requiring hospitalization. The CNMC's investigation revealed that the merger could significantly strengthen Grupo Ribera Salud's position in the market, especially in the provision of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) services.

Hospital Polusa and Clínica Gaias Lugo overlap in several medical specialties, including physiotherapy, general medicine, gynecology, orthopedics, and radiology. The CNMC's in-depth analysis indicated that the merger could lead to higher prices and reduced competition, as Hospital Polusa currently faces limited competition from Quirón.

To address these concerns, Hospital Polusa has committed to limiting price increases for MRI services for three years and to invest in upgrading the MRI equipment at Clínica Gaias Lugo within two years of the acquisition's closure. The CNMC has deemed these commitments sufficient to resolve the identified competition issues, leading to the approval of the merger.