Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
1447. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health the advice he would give to a person (details supplied) who cannot obtain affordable insurance given the particular anomalies of their situation under the current regulations applying to the private health insurance market. [26194/16]
View answerThe individual concerned wrote to my office in relation to this matter . My office provided a reply to that correspondence on 10 August last, which outlined the rationale for the introduction of Lifetime Community Rating to the health insurance market and clarified that there are no specific anomalies in the implementation of the legislation in respect of the individual circumstances provided.
Lifetime Community Rating came into effect on 1 May 2015 and is designed to encourage people to join the private health insurance market at an earlier age and thus support affordable community rated premiums for everyone who wishes to purchase insurance. There was a grace period (of 9 months) provided up until 30 April 2015, during which time people of any age could take out health insurance without incurring loadings. Late entry loadings of 2% per annum now apply for people who buy health insurance for the first time at the age of 35 and older.
In this instance, the legislation has been applied appropriately in the same manner which applies for any individual in the State taking out health insurance, for the first time, at age 35 or over.
