Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First, I thank Deputy Martin for his good wishes, which I very much appreciate.

From the point of view of the Minister for Health, his clear objective is to reform the current health system and to deliver a single-tier health service in which access to health care is based on need and not on the ability to pay. The Government is committed to the ongoing sustainability of the health insurance market as part of the transition to a market-based universal health insurance system. At the end of March 2014, some 2.3031 million people were insured with inpatient health insurance plans. While the number of people covered has fallen from a peak in 2008, Ireland continues to retain a high level of population holding voluntary private health insurance at 44.2%. The Minister for Health desires the best possible environment within which more people, particularly young people, will wish to obtain and retain private health insurance cover that is affordable, competitive and meets consumer needs.

He intends to introduce shortly a series of measures to help to support the sustainability and competitiveness of the private health insurance market. This includes lifetime community rating to encourage people to join health insurance schemes at a young age and to retain their private health insurance cover. In addition, the Minister will announce shortly an initiative on mandatory discounts for young adults. The Government is committed to keeping affordable health insurance for as many people as possible. To this end, the Minister has made clear to the health insurers his belief that significant savings from within the industry can still be made, the effect of which can be to minimise the need for increases in premiums. The recently-published McLoughlin interim report on health insurance costs made recommendations in a number of different areas, including the important role of clinical audit in identifying unnecessary claims. Moreover, the need to address the age structure of the private health insurance market is also important. As I already mentioned, the Minister, Deputy Reilly, will provide further details on his plans in this regard shortly.

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