26 Nov 2012, 14:34
Minister for Health James Reilly TD will attend the meeting of the Sub-Committee on Health tomorrow, Tuesday 27th November, 2012 for the committee stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012.
The Bill aims to amend the Health Insurance Act 1994, in particular to ensure that, in the interests of societal and intergenerational solidarity, the burden of the costs of health services be shared by insured persons by providing for a cost subsidy between the more healthy and the less healthy, including between the young and the old; to provide, having regard to the principal objective of the Health Insurance Act 1994, for risk equalisation credits to enable the less healthy and older people to have access to health insurance cover at the same price as those who are healthier and younger; to provide for a means whereby any overcompensation to registered undertakings or former registered undertakings arising from such risk equalisation credits shall be repaid; and to provide for related matters.
Committee Chairman Jerry Buttimer TD said: “Our Committee has already held meetings with senior executives from the main health insurers and the Health Insurance Authority to examine the current state of the sector in depth, including the issues of community rating and risk equalisation.
Tomorrow, the Minister will come before the Committee where the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012 which aims to regulate the market will be examined in detail. At this stage, the Bill will receive in depth consideration and it will give members the opportunity to propose and discuss any amendments to this important piece of legislation.”
The meeting starts at 6pm on Tuesday, 27th November in Committee Room 1, LH 2000.
Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
ENDS
Committee Membership:
Deputies
Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael
Ciara Conway, Labour Party
Robert Dowds, Labour Party
Peter Fitzpatrick, Fine Gael
Seamus Healy, Independent
Billy Kelleher, Fine Fail
Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Fine Gael
Denis Naughten, Independent
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Fein