James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their contributions. The main legislative provisions for the regulation of the private health insurance market are included in the Health Insurance Acts 1994 to 2012 and the regulations made under these Acts. The purpose of this legislation is to ensure the market is regulated appropriately. In addition to ensuring appropriate regulation, I have also consistently urged all private health insurers to do everything possible to keep down the cost of private health insurance. I am determined to address costs in this sector in the interests of consumers and I am not happy that this has been done. I reiterate my concerns about the lack of a clinical audit to ensure tests done were necessary.

Despite a smaller number of people being insured last year, there was a 14% rise in claims. We need to ensure tests carried out are necessary. We need to revisit what we pay for what is being done. I have previously mentioned a particular procedure that used to take two hours and now only takes 20 minutes. However, insurance companies are still paying €800 to the treating clinician. If ten of these procedures are performed on a Saturday in the private system, as one gentleman was proud to point out - it took him all week to do nine in the public system - that is €8,000 every Saturday, which comes to €400,000 a year. We need to look at this. We also need to consider how we pay hospitals. We should be paying them per procedure or per bundled treatments, not for the duration of stay, as we do at present.

As Minister for Health, I have no legal powers to intervene in the prices set by health insurance providers. The insurance companies operate as commercial providers and pricing decisions on private health insurance products are matters for individual insurers. However, I reiterate my concern about their failure to address their cost base. I am sorry that I cannot accept the amendment.

We have been joined by many young people in the Visitors Gallery. I let them know that this legislation is about banning smoking in public places and protecting them from the advertising of the tobacco industry. Of the young people in the Visitors Gallery who take up smoking, one in two will die young. That is factual and evidence based. They should never start smoking, regardless of who tells them otherwise.

I appreciate the support of Senators on the Bill. I look forward to pursuing our fight against tobacco on an ongoing basis in every way open to us and on every stage we can access throughout Europe and the broader world. I express my support for the action taken in Australia in its fight with the tobacco industry at the World Trade Organisation.