Private healthcare costs getting you down? Next month you can share your experience with the Competition Commission healthcare market inquiry. The inquiry - charged with investigating why private health costs are so high - announced yesterday that public hearings would start on February 16.Though the market inquiry is not a court process, those with something to hide will risk not getting off scot-free.The Competition Commission has warned stakeholders that it may initiate investigations based on what it hears during the inquiry.Inquiry director Clint Oellerman said the panel wanted to find out from the public if there was enough information for consumers to help them choose their medical aids, doctors and how they experience private healthcare.The public has to register with the inquiry beforehand and give a summary of what it will say.Commission spokesman Itumeleng Lesofe said that, once the inquiry was complete, an investigation would be initiated, and a complaint referred to the Competition Tribunal should evidence of illegal conduct be found.The market inquiry has been ongoing for almost two years with medical aids, hospital groups and doctors' groups giving detailed submissions on how their businesses work.Chairman of the panel, former Chief Justice Sandile Ncgobo, said one thing most roleplayers agreed on was "that private healthcare costs were high and rising each year above inflation."However, submissions differ markedly on the underlying reasons for high expenditure and inflation," he said. The inquiry will complete its work in December...