Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the wide support for the Bill across the House. Ensuring as many individuals as possible have access to affordable health insurance, regardless of their age, gender or health status, forms the basis of Government policy in this area. Particular attention is given to protecting the needs of older and less healthy policy holders. We all recognise the important role risk equalisation plays in protecting the solidarity principle in our community rated voluntary health insurance system. It ensures older people and those who have illnesses do not have to pay more than younger, healthier people and that is what the Bill is all about. It is not about promoting health insurance or guaranteeing profits for insurers; it is about social solidarity and equalisation.

The main purpose of the Bill is to specify the risk equalisation credits and corresponding stamp duty levels for March 2016. It also provides for an improvement in the health status measure under the scheme by expanding the setting in which a utilisation credit will be payable to include day cases. The expansion of the credit to include a lower payment of €30 in the case of all day cases to hospitals increases the support provided for less healthy people of all ages. The reduction in stamp duty for non-advance contracts supports the provision of affordable low cost entry products. Risk equalisation is a necessary support to community rated health insurance and I am committed to making the scheme as effective as possible in a way that promotes open and fair competition.

I thank all Deputies for their positive contributions to the debate and for facilitating the rapid passage of the Bill through the House.

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