Vol. 429 No. 3
224 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that his Department is to move towards charging the VHI the full economic rate for private beds in public hospitals; and whether he has considered the implications of this for the VHI.
The rates charged by public hospitals against the costs of treatment and maintenance of persons in semi-private and private beds do not reflect the actual economic costs. It is my intention to move towards a phased reduction of the differences between the actual and current rates, taking full account of the financial position of the Voluntary Health Insurance Board.
