Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 April 2014
645. Deputy Michael P. Kitt asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on his plans to introduce universal health insurance; if any report or research is available on same; the country he would like to model his scheme on; if he will give an approximate date for implementation of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16522/14]
View answerThe Government has embarked 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 there is fair access to services based on need, not on ability to pay. Under UHI, everyone will have a choice of health insurer and access to a standard package of health services. In addition, a system of financial protection will ensure affordability by paying or subsidising UHI premiums for those who qualify.
The White Paper on Universal Health Insurance was published on 2nd April and is available on my Department's website at www.health.gov.ie. It provides substantial detail on the UHI model for Ireland, the process for determining the future health basket, including the standard package of services covered under UHI, funding mechanisms and the key stages of the journey to UHI. A wide-ranging public consultation on the overall policy set out in the White Paper also commenced on 2nd April. The process remains open for submissions from the public and other stakeholders until 28th May. A separate consultation on the contents of the future health basket will also be undertaken.
The White Paper makes reference to a number of background technical documents, notably the Policy Paper on Raising Resources for Universal Health Insurance and The Policy Paper on Designing the Future Health Basket, that were produced by my Department in order to inform the development of the policy set out in the White Paper. These key documents will be published on the Department's website soon. I would also like to draw attention to the preliminary paper on UHI, The Path to Universal Health Insurance, published in February, 2013 on my Department's website which outlines an update of work on UHI to Feb 2012 as well as providing further detail on the path ahead.
As noted in the White Paper, my Department reviewed multi-payer models across a number of countries, having regard to the policy set out in the Programme for Government, including the Netherlands and Germany. Part of this work included organising a seminar in Dublin in 2011 on universal health insurance which was attended by experts from the World Health Organisation, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the Dutch Health Ministry. My officials also undertook study visits to the Netherlands in June 2011 to examine the Dutch health insurance model and to Germany in 2012 to advance our thinking on the introduction of a prospective case-based Money Follows the Patient system for funding hospitals, which is one of the key building blocks for the introduction of UHI. In November 2013, my Department organised a one day policy dialogue with international experts in the field of national health basket design, facilitated by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, in order to inform the development of The Policy Paper on Designing the Future Health Basket.
I should, however, make it clear that while important to learn from other countries' experiences of multi-payer health insurance systems, it was never our intention to merely adopt a system from another country. In designing a UHI model for Ireland, our aim has been to ensure that it meets the needs of those living in Ireland and that it achieves the best outcomes for patients. This requires that we carefully plan and sequence the reform programme and that we give detailed consideration to the most appropriate structures for delivery of different services. Ultimately, this Government aim is to introduce an Irish model of universal health insurance that best fits the Irish system. My intention is to have all the necessary groundwork in place in early 2016 to enable us to phase in implementation of UHI between 2016 and 2019.
