Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 January 2010
346 Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for Health and Children the details of the savings of €75 million in private income collection for hospitals in view of the health Estimates for 2010; the steps she will take to expedite collection of outstanding charges; the steps this change will involve; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48513/09]
View answerThe need for a more efficient private income collection system for hospitals was highlighted in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes and in the Comptroller and Auditor General Annual Report on the 2007 Vote of the Health Service Executive. This issue has been examined in the context of the Estimates process and the HSE has established a working group to address the matter. This working group has set out a number of initiatives to address the issue of the collection of charges including the development of a new centralised billing system which aims to streamline the process and focus attention on the collection of all outstanding debts. It is intended that the HSE's plan to address the problems will be examined in the context of the Value for Money and Policy Review of the Economic Cost and Charges Associated with Private and Semi-Private Treatment Services in Public Hospitals, currently being undertaken by my Department
