Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2015
300. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regards to his comments in Dáil Éireann on 1 July 2015 that the Economic and Social Research Institute report on the costs of introducing universal health insurance was a draft report, if the institute submitted the report as a draft or if it submitted it as a final estimate of what it had been commissioned to report on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27399/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra391. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if it is the case that the Economic and Social Research Institute has estimated the additional cost of universal health insurance at between 3.5% and 10.7% more than the current system, or €666 million and €2.05 billion in current prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27490/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra392. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Health Insurance Authority has presented a report to him that estimates the cost of universal health insurance between €2,197 and €3,201 for every adult per year, with an additional 15% cost for children and students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27491/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 300, 391 and 392 together.
The White Paper on Universal Health Insurance was published on 2 April 2014 and provides detailed information on the model of universal healthcare for Ireland. Under the White Paper model, everyone will be insured for a standard package of health services and will have their choice of health insurer from a mix of private health insurers and a publicly owned health insurer.
Following publication of the White Paper, a major costing exercise, involving the Department of Health, the ESRI and others, was initiated. The purpose of the exercise is to examine the cost implications of a change to a multi-payer, universal health insurance model, as proposed in the White Paper on UHI. Draft results from the initial phase of the costing exercise were presented to me at the end of May and these are now informing deliberation on next steps, including the necessity for further research and cost modelling.
Ultimately, the UHI costing exercise is a major research project with a number of phases. The next phases in the costing exercise are likely to include deeper analysis of the key issue of unmet need and a more detailed comparative analysis of the relative costs and benefits of alternative funding models using bottom-up costing techniques. The draft results from the initial phase, as well as the plans for the next phase of research, will inform discussions with the Taoiseach and the Cabinet Subcommittee on the best long-term approach to achieving universal healthcare, and on the development of a roadmap for healthcare reform.
