Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2018
441. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in a public hospital will not be improperly charged following admission to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39982/18]
View answerAll persons ordinarily resident in Ireland are entitled to receive public in-patient services in public hospitals, subject to applicable statutory public in-patient charges. This is irrespective of whether a person has private health insurance cover. However, for a specified episode of in-patient services, where a person does not avail of, or waives his/her right to public in-patient services, but instead avails of private in-patient services for example private consultant services, he/she shall not have eligibility for public in-patient services for that episode of in-patient care.
Patients opting to be treated privately have chosen to pay the consultant and the hospital in respect of the services that each provides. Under the Health Act 1970 (as amended), the HSE is required to levy statutory private in-patient charges on all patients opting to receive private in-patient services, irrespective of the type of accommodation provided. There is no provision in the legislation to waive these charges.
I have asked the HSE to investigate the circumstance of this individual case and respond directly to the Deputy.
