Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2020
473. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if an exemption can be made for a person (details supplied) who has been informed by a company that it cannot process receipts for health services which are more than six months outside the end of the insurance year in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43395/20]
View answerAs Minister for Health I do not have a role to play in the commercial decisions of any health insurer. Health insurance providers operate in a competitive market and are free to impose certain terms and conditions in their policies, providing they comply with the overall governing legislation and broader regulatory requirements. The Health Insurance Acts do not impose obligations regarding the minimum or maximum time that receipts may be claimed by an insurance customer, such matters are usually determined by the contract between the insurer and the customer.
In circumstances where queries regarding the terms and conditions of a policy arise, I would encourage health insurance customers to attempt to resolve complaints with their insurance provider in the first instance. If the insurance provider has not resolved the issue to the customers satisfaction, they can also refer the matter to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FPSO). The FPSO is an independent officer who investigates complaints of customers about financial services.
