Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I am please to speak to the motion which follows the announcement by the VHI that it intends to impose a staggering increase in the premiums payable by its customers from 1 February next. The proposal has shocked people. It calls into question what is taking place in the VHI. Why have things being allowed to reach the point where there will be increases of the order of 45% on some premiums? Such increases come at a time when the cost of medical inflation is reported to be 10% or less. We are right to ask these questions and the people want answers to them. People are keen to know why competition in the marketplace has not brought order to the situation. The VHI has held a monopoly for almost 50 years. However, it has brought about increases on this scale, in sharp contrast to the increases implemented by its competitors.

Elderly people who have contributed for many years and who have not claimed must accept suddenly that they have this problem. Where have their contributions over the years gone? What does it mean for them? Should they switch to an alternative provider, something they have no wish to do? However, their current provider, the VHI, appears to be encouraging them to go to their competitors because it does not want them. This is probably at the heart of the debate. The VHI is trying to shed many of its elderly customers, whom it perceives as representing an onerous cost on its operations.

Are the answers to all these questions in the Milliman report? We must see it and the motion this evening calls for it to be published. It should be examined and debated prior to allowing any increases by the VHI. The fact that the report has not been published adds to the anger among consumers, who have been asked to take these proposed increases at face value. Time and again this evening, speakers have outlined how efficiencies and changes could be brought about and how the VHI operates.

We are all aware of experiences of people where a bill from a hospital or medical situation arrives which is considered to be sizeable, but the people have tried to point out that they are a customer of the VHI. There appears to be little satisfaction in this area. With any business or operation one examines the costs first and one tries to reduce the costs rather than passing on any increase to consumers. That is the basis of any business. We must see the Milliman report. The reality of these price increases is that the hard-pressed families and individuals who are already under considerable pressure will decide to abandon their health insurance. In many cases this will put further pressure on an already over-stretched health service.

I call on the Minister to explain exactly why she will not publish the Milliman report. What are the excuses? Are they of a legal nature? Do they relate to commercial sensitivity? We need to know and we must see the contents of this report in the interests of all hard-pressed individuals who have been asked to bear the brunt of these unnecessary costs.

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