Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 March 2013
564. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health if it is correct that a person (details supplied) in County Cork who, in emergency, availed of private treatment for hip replacement may not now avail of the public system to treat the second hip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15068/13]
View answerSection 55 of the Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides for the charging of private in-patients. An essential element of the eligibility arrangements is that the public or private status of a patient must be specified on admission to hospital. Where a patient elects to be treated privately by a consultant the hospital must treat that patient as a private patient. Persons who opt to be private on admission to hospital are liable for the fees of all consultants involved in his or her care and for such charges under section 55 for that episode of care.
Question No. 565 answered with Question No. 534.
