Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage

5:30 pm

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That it will be reviewed is something I can accept. On the broader issue, the claim is that lifetime community rating is actively encouraging people to take out private health insurance. One would be forgiven for thinking the Minister was applauding himself or the decision to introduce lifetime community rating. However, a number of factors are at stake here. Thankfully, we have a growing economy and there are more people at work so more people are taking out private health insurance. The key question one has to ask is why people are taking out private health insurance. The biggest advertisement for private health insurance is the waiting lists in the public health system. That is what is encouraging people to take out private health insurance.

They are taking it out because of fear, anxiety and concern that they simply will not be able to access diagnostics or treatment in the public health system. The Minister cannot claim the policy is working because lifetime community rating has been brought in and the number of people now taking up private health insurance is increasing. He has to accept there is a major concern out there that people cannot, in a timely fashion, access basic treatments, appointments with consultants or diagnostics. The biggest recruiter of private health insurance are the appalling waiting lists in the public health system.

There should be continual review of the lifetime community rating policy. This amendment should be considered in order to reduce that burden on people after a ten-year period. While there is a weighting and encouragement for young people to take out insurance, the real encouragement is the fear of not being able to access the public health system. That is what is supporting the private health insurance market more than anything else.

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