Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is not obvious and it is with regard to named level 2 hospitals. People have cover in some level 2 hospitals. Why, for argument's sake, would people living in Roscommon have cover in Bantry hospital but not Roscommon hospital? I cannot understand it. There does not seem to be justification for it with regard to level 2 hospitals. I fully understand why insurance companies would ask people whether they want cover in all of the more expensive high-level hospitals and what level of cover they want but local people are sometimes not being made aware of the fact that their own local hospital is not covered by the insurance policy. It should not come down to people having to specifically name a hospital. For example, if I am on holidays in west Cork, why should I not go to Bantry hospital rather than go to Cork where there will be problems in the accident and emergency department? We should encourage people to use our level 2 hospitals as a policy decision by the Government.

Insurance companies should not discriminate against any level 2 hospital. If we can get increased volumes of elective surgery in our small hospitals everyone benefits. It makes no sense from a policy point of view and the insurance industry should not be allowed to exclude any level 2 hospital in terms of cover. There is no justification for it. The charges in the level 2 hospitals in Nenagh, Bantry and Roscommon are the same as in any other level 2 hospital because they are all HSE owned hospitals, not private hospitals.