Health Services Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 November 2019

Tuesday, 19 November 2019

Questions (456)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

456. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the costing model used by his Department to cost the roll out of a State-sponsored contraception scheme in the report of the working group on access to contraception. [47729/19]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The Working Group on Access to Contraception used a basic cost estimation model utilising the data that were available.

The estimated cost of €80m to €100m reflects the cost of providing the current GMS contraceptive service on a universal basis to all women aged 16-44, assuming two GP consultations per annum and assuming an uptake rate of between 50% and 60%. The pharmacy and product costs are extrapolated from PCRS data, while clinical costs are based on an average of a range of possible costs per client per consultation.

It is noted that the report of the Working Group is clear that this estimate of costs should be considered as indicative and is subject to a number of uncertainties, including the outcome of consultation with service providers and the final parameters of any scheme.