asked the Minister for Health the cost of abolishing the charge of 10/- per day in respect of hospital treatment for the middle income group, bearing in mind the savings in administrative costs that could accure.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Abolition of Hospital Treatment Charge.
14.
I presume the reference in the question to "the charge of 10/- per day in respect of hospital treatment" is to the charge, if any, not exceeding 10/- per day payable under Section 15 of the Health Act, 1953 and Section 231A of the Mental Treatment Act, 1945 in respect of services provided for hospital inpatients. On that assumption, the estimate of receipts by health authorities in the present financial year is £490,000. This represents the loss of income which would result if these charges were abolished.
There would be some offsetting saving in the administrative costs of assessing and collecting these charges. The amount of this is not known at present. However, an enquiry in relation to it was addressed recently by my Department to health authorities. When their replies have been received and examined within the next month or so, I expect to be in a position to furnish the Deputy with an estimate of the probable amount of this saving. The figure will also be furnished, of course, to the Select Committee on Health Services.