Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
1401. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost in 2024 of reducing emergency hospital charges to either €50 or abolishing it; the cost of removing the €75 charge for an injury unit, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37087/23]
View answerPatient charges are a key element of the overall funding envelope of the Irish health system and are considered when agreeing the Annual Estimates and the subsequent preparation of the HSE’s annual National Service Plan.
Patients who attend at public hospitals are, depending on their eligibility, and subject to certain exemptions, liable to statutory charges. These are levied under the provisions of the 1970 Health Act. The charges are €100 for an Emergency Department attendance and €75 for Injury Unit attendance. The HSE has a statutory obligation to levy and collect these charges and Hospitals have the discretion to operate payment plans where appropriate.
Emergency Department (ED) charges and Injury Unit are recorded by the HSE as Out-Patient Income. In the last reported year of 2021 the HSE reported Hospital Out-Patient Income of €22.4m.
|
- |
2021 €m |
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Outpatient Charges (incl. ED & injury Unit) |
22.4 |
