Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1973. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of abolishing all inpatient and emergency department charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41513/22]
View answerNormal patient activity has been affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic and as a result 2020 and 2021 are not representative of normal services. Therefore 2019 would currently be the best representation of income levels outside of the COVID Pandemic.
In 2019, €30.6 million was raised through the statutory inpatient charge in the Acute Hospitals.
The Emergency Department charge is recorded by the HSE as an out-patient charge. In 2019 €20m was collected in Outpatient Charges from Acute Hospitals, which predominantly relates to Accident and Emergency charges.
