I propose to take Questions Nos. 1558, 1593, 1595 and 1596 together.
The current statutory public in-patient charge is €75 per day, subject to a maximum of €750 in any period of 12 consecutive months.The statutory in-patient charge also applies to day cases. A number of categories of individuals are exempt from the above charge, including those with full eligibility.
Maintenance charges for private in-patient services in respect of private, semi-private and day-care accommodation in categories 1 and 2 public hospitals were increased with effect from 1 January 2012. The new rates are set out below. There were no changes in respect of category 3 hospitals. It is anticipated that the increased charges will yield additional revenue in the region of €18 million in 2012.
-
|
Hospital Category
|
Private Accommodation
|
Semi-Private Accommodation
|
Day-care
|
1
|
HSE Regional Hospitals, Voluntary & Joint Board Teaching Hospitals
|
€1,046
|
€933
|
€753
|
2
|
HSE County Hospitals
Voluntary Non-Teaching Hospitals
|
€819
|
€730
|
€586
|
3
|
HSE District Hospitals
|
€260
|
€222
|
€193
|
The private in-patient daily charge of €75, subject to a maximum payment of €750 in any period of 12 consecutive months, remained unchanged for 2012. These maintenance and daily charges are applicable to all private in-patients without exception. The A&E charge is provided for by the Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations 1994 (as amended). The charge is currently €100.The charge applies to persons attending Accident and Emergency and Casualty Departments subject to exemptions set out in these regulations, including medical card holders and those who have a letter of referral from a registered medical practitioner.
Private patients are liable to a charge for the use of MRI scans in a public hospital, currently set at a maximum of €400.
The Health Service Executive has indicated the anticipated income from hospital charges in 2012 as follows:
|
2011 Actual
€m
|
2012 Estimate
€m
|
Private Accommodation charges
|
464.2
|
488.2
|
Inpatient levy
|
48.6
|
54.3
|
Emergency Dept
|
16.4
|
16.5
|
The 2012 estimate of income is based on the extrapolation of the July 2012 year-to-date amounts.
Charges are kept under review in the context of the budgetary process but no decision has been taken to make any changes.