Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 1997

Vol. 480 No. 6

Written Answers - Private Hospital Charges.

Noel Ahern

Question:

297 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has given approval to the VHI for the system of specified operation charging against private hospitals; and his views on whether the system is fair to the taxpayer in view of the fact that it appears to subsidise private hospitals at the expense of public hospitals in the case where patients stay in public hospitals but move to private hospitals for operations. [14957/97]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen):

The private health insurance market now operates on a competitive basis. In addition, under the legislation in place the Minister for Health has no function in approving commercial arrangements between the VHI and service providers. Furthermore, I do not have a function in relation to either the funding of private hospitals or the charges they set for the provision of treatment.

All patients irrespective of whether they are public or private patients in public hospitals may, in exceptional circumstances, be provided with health services in private hospitals.