asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on his negotiations with the VHI for the provision of insurance cover for medical expenses incurred through visiting general practitioners; and if he will outline the way in which this would affect future health policy-making.
Written Answers - VHI Insurance Cover.
185.
The VHI has agreed, in principle, to initiate a comprehensive insurance scheme covering general practitioner and other outpatient costs. The outline of such a proposed scheme, submitted recently by the VHI, is at present under active consideration in my Department.
The introduction of such a scheme would be very much in line with the present thrust of health policy which, as the Deputy is aware, is to encourage the treatment of illness at the lowest appropriate level of complexity by developing services at primary care and community care level.