James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I could not agree more and it is welcome that the committee has taken up this point. I hope the issue will receive an airing in the media. People should be prepared to contact their insurers when they believe they have paid health care providers for treatments they did not receive or for additional days during which they were not in hospital. I am sure the insurers do not wish to pay out money unnecessarily. Private insurers want to make a profit and VHI wants to remain solvent. Once the customer has contacted his or her insurer, the insurer should undertake to investigate the matter and correspond with him or her. If this becomes a problem in so far as people believe insurers are not doing so, in particular VHI, I as the main shareholder on behalf of the public, I will take up the matter with it.