asked the Minister for Health in respect of Voluntary Health Insurance for each year since 1984 inclusive, the payments of medical expenses claimed for public hospital pay beds, traditional private hospitals, new private hospitals, out-patient expenses and consultant fees.
Written Answers. - VHI Claims.
161.
The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table. I presume that by "new private hospitals" he means the high technology Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private Hospital.
|
Year ending |
Maintenance in public hospitals |
Maintenance in private hospitals |
Maintenance in High-technology hospitals |
Consultant inpatient services |
|
£M |
£M |
£M |
£M |
|
|
29/2/1984 |
15.0 |
30.8 |
— |
18.7 |
|
28/2/1985 |
17.5 |
34.0 |
— |
20.8 |
|
28/2/1986 |
21.6 |
37.9 |
— |
23.9 |
|
28/2/1987 |
22.4 |
39.6 |
6.6 |
25.4 |
Figures for the year ending 29/2/1988 are not yet available.
In addition the following payments were made in respect of out-patient expenditure and while they would include elements in respect of consultant out-patient fees it is not possible to identify the precise amounts involved because of the operation of lower and upper thresholds:—
Year ending 29/2/1984 — £8.5 million; year ending 28/2/1985 — £10.2 million; year ending 28/2/1986 — £11.7 million; year ending 28.2.1987 — £15.0 million.