I wish to advise the Deputy that no such negotiations with health care insurers have taken place and that it would not be feasible to bring forward regulations given the differences in the health systems in these countries.
Currently the operation of private health insurance in this country is subject to the provisions of the Health Insurance Acts 1994 to 2003, and incorporates community rating, open enrolment and lifetime cover. The legislation requires all health insurers to operate on a "open enrolment" basis, in addition to offering community-rated health insurance. Insurers are obliged to make cover available to all persons, including returning emigrants, who are under the age of 65 regardless of whether or not they were previously covered, subject to prescribed waiting periods. Generally, insurers are entitled to apply an initial waiting period of 26 weeks in respect of persons aged under 55 and 52 weeks in respegt of those aged 55 or over, prior to health insurance cover becoming fully effective. In addition, insurers are entitled to apply longer waiting periods in relation to pre-existing conditions.
Insurers participating in the Irish market are not obliged to offer cover to persons aged 65 and over, unless they were covered in a former health insurance contract with a registered health insurer, which had expired less than 13 weeks previously. Allowing insurers discretion to apply waiting periods and on whether to accept new applicants aged 65 and over is considered a necessary protection in a community-rated open enrolment environment and supports the principle of inter-generational solidarity.
The Health Insurance (Amendment) Act 2001 contains provision for the introduction of a system of "lifetime community rating" which will involve allowing health insurers to apply late entry premium loadings to persons who delay taking out insurance cover until, or after, the age of 35 years, thereby strengthening community rating. Under this system, access to cover will be open to persons aged 65 or over. While the primary legislation is in place, the detailed implementation of lifetime community rating will be by way of secondary legislation. My Department has initiated work on the preparation of these regulations and they will be introduced as soon as is practicable. The introduction of these regulations will broaden the scope for those persons aged 65 and over who come to live in Ireland from abroad to avail of health insurance cover.
