Hospital Charges

Thursday, 23 May 2013

Questions (218)

Andrew Doyle

Question:

218. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports of inappropriate billing by hospitals to private health insurance companies for beds not occupied when patients were instead on trolleys; if he will provide an estimate of the scale of this problem in view of the fact that it pushes health insurance premiums higher; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24947/13]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Alex White)

Hospitals do not charge health insurance companies or their members the private accommodation charge for any time spent in A/E on trolleys. Under current legislation, private accommodation charges can only be raised for those private and semi private designated beds and does not include hospital trolleys.