Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 February 2015
417. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he or his Department is currently examining alternatives models of health care funding to that proposed in the White Paper on Universal Health Insurance published in April 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4428/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have established a three-year Research Programme in Healthcare Reform with the ESRI. The research programme uses economic analysis to explore issues in relation to health services and health spending as well as population health.
The immediate priority of the ESRI research programme is to examine the cost implications of a change to a multi-payer, universal health insurance model, as proposed in the White Paper on Universal Health Insurance. This analysis will include, among other things, a review of evidence of the effects on healthcare spending of alternative systems of financing and of changes in financing methods and entitlements.
This work is a key component of the major UHI costing exercise which is currently under way in my Department in conjunction with the ESRI, the Health Insurance Authority and others. I expect to have the initial results in April. These results will assist the Government in developing a road map on the next steps to UHI.
