Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013
1347. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Health the measures that have been considered by his Department to prevent health cost inflation which is likely to occur as a result of the planned introduction of Dutch-style mandatory universal health insurance as laid out in the Programme for Government (details supplied) [17718/13]
View answerThe Government is embarking on a major reform programme for the health system, the aim of which is to deliver a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance (UHI), where access is based on need, not on income. Under UHI, everyone will be insured and will have equal access to a standard package of primary and acute hospital services, including acute mental health services. A new Insurance Fund will subsidise or pay insurance premiums for those who qualify for a subsidy.
In moving to UHI, the Government is not seeking to simply transplant a health system from another jurisdiction. While it is important to learn from international experience, we are committed to introducing an Irish model of universal health insurance which best fits the Irish system. Detailed design work is currently ongoing on the model of UHI for Ireland. This work includes explicit consideration of mechanisms for ensuring appropriate cost control and long-term sustainability of our health system.
Finally, a number of initiatives are currently underway in order to prepare the system for the introduction of UHI. These initiatives will bring benefits and drive efficiencies in advance of implementing universal health insurance. They include:
- the strengthening of primary care services to deliver universal primary care with the removal of cost as a barrier to access for patients,
- the work of the Special Delivery Unit in tackling waiting times and establishing hospital groups,
- the introduction of a more transparent and efficient "Money Follows the Patient" funding mechanism for hospitals, and,
- the establishment of a Consultative Forum on Health Insurance comprising representatives from the country's main health insurance companies, the Health Insurance Authority and the Department of Health. The Forum provides a platform for identifying ways of addressing costs throughout the industry, whilst always respecting the requirements of competition law. In addition, it gives a voice to insurers in raising issues relating to the development of UHI.
