Dinny McGinley
Question:11 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Health when he will introduce legislation confirming a community rating system in private health insurance as required by EC Directive 92/49/EEC on insurance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EC Directive on Non-Life Insurance.
Legislation to preserve the Irish community-rated health insurance market will be introduced early in 1993 to meet the July 1994 deadline for implementing the provisions of the EC Third Directive on Non-Life Insurance.
Will the Minister assure the House that the existing system, which spreads the burden across all age groups, will be implemented in that legislation, as we fought for when this directive was being issued. Perhaps he will also give an assurance to the House that he will not, in next year's budget, take any more money from the Voluntary Health Insurance Board under cover of this legislation?
I agree that we must have community rating. In the legislation I will try to put a levy on companies coming in here offering special rates to younger people because that would adversely affect elderly people. We will do everything possible to ensure that there is a community rated system in operation because it is the only fair one. I assure the Deputy that the Voluntary Health Insurance Board have got away with murder in regard to private and semi-private beds in public hospoitals and they have not paid the full rate for these beds. Any money taken by the State from the Voluntary Health Insurance Board was merely a fraction of what they would have had to pay for these beds. In many hospitals the Voluntary Health Insurance ensured the patients were admitted to children's hospitals where there were no private beds. The families were insured and the Voluntary Health Insurance Board did not have to pay. If anything, money would be due to the Department of Health from the Voluntary Health Insurance Board.
Instead of taking money from the VHI, will the Minister look at the extraordinarily high costs of the present chairman of their board?
The Deputy should ask a relevant question.
Does the Minister feel that it will be possible next year to maintain community rating for the VHI and, at the same time, not to restrict the numbers treated in public beds, considering that the bill this year amounted to £40 million? Does he intend to grant an increase in rates to the VHI as he refused to sanction the 7 per cent increase for which they had asked? Has that matter been brought to a conclusion? Can he guarantee that the community rating system and a comprehensive system for those insured under this scheme will be maintained into next year?
I will try to give that assurance, as far as possible, under the Directive. I hope it will be in operation in the interests of the population. The VHI system is very fair and it takes care of everyone. If companies come in we would have to put an age equalisation plan into operation to ensure that those operating mainly for the benefit of young people would pay some form of levy.
Will the Minister assure the House that there will not be any restriction of access to public beds because that is what he hinted at in relation to the fees paid by the VHI for public beds to date?
There will not be any restriction on the access to public beds.