Two U.S. health firms look for Taiwan tie-ups-paper

TAIPEI, May 3 (Reuters) - Two U.S. health care services providers have come to Taiwan to talk with counterparts about potential cooperation, following in the footsteps of foreign life insurers, local media reported on Saturday.

Amerigroup Community Care (AGP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Citizens for Quality Care talked on Friday to some of Taiwan's top hospitals, including Chang Gung and Wan Fang, as they explored potential areas for cooperation, the Commercial Times reported.

The meetings were facilitated by the Chicago foreign trade office in Taiwan, the newspaper reported, quoting an office representative.

The report did not specify what kinds of tie-ups were being explored. Taiwan has a national health care system.

Both Amerigroup and Citizens for Quality Care specialise in services for the elderly and disabled.

Any tie-up would mark one of the first between foreign health care service providers and health insurers and their Taiwan counterparts.

Taiwan has become a hotbed of investment for foreign life insurers in recent years, many of whom have set up wholly owned subsidiaries or joint ventures in one of Asia's top markets.

With a population of 23 million, Taiwan had insurance premiums of US$58 billion last year. Foreign players active in the market include Dutch firms Aegon (AEGN.AS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and ING (ING.AS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), UK insurer Aviva (AV.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and U.S. firm AIG (AIG.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz). (Reporting by Doug Young; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)