Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is unlikely that I will use up the time I have been allowed. The Minister has given a reasonable explanation of what is intended by this Bill. The health insurance market could do with a major overhaul but perhaps that is not the business of today. We are supporting the Bill. This type of legislation seems to arrive at this point every legislative year. The measures seem designed to support risk equalisation, sustain community rating, possibly sustain the VHI and sustain the health insurance market in order that older citizens and those with illnesses can afford health insurance and will not be discriminated against in favour of younger people, as would happen in an open market. The Minister is making these changes. This is the first Bill in this area after the introduction of lifetime community rating. We sought this in the past. It was the first tangible sign that the Government was abandoning the model of universal health insurance. We spoke about this at the time.

We welcome the moderate increase in the number of people with health insurance following the introduction of the age discounts and lifetime community rating in last year's legislation, but it is time that we examined this issue because there is significant consumer confusion in the health insurance market. People do not know what they are buying. The HIA's website does its best but, naïvely I believe, very much fails in providing the type of information consumers need because it is very complicated in itself to shop around and gain a knowledge of the add-ons, exclusions and requirements of particular policies. Considerable work must be done on this. I have suggested that we examine what US President Barack Obama has done. The United States has bronze, silver, gold and platinum policies in very generalised categories. We used to have that kind of system under the VHI, with plan A and plan B, but there is now a ridiculous number of plans. We need to bring back some simplicity to the market and some regulations on what can be excluded in respect of policies at particular levels and what co-payments can be insisted upon. It comes as a shock to some people when they seek insurance to be told they owe a certain amount of money to get what they want in addition to what is provided. Some of these practices are quite outrageous and will come back to bite consumers in the coming years. That is a debate for a different day. It is one we should have in terms of making overall changes to and developing health policy.

The members of Sinn Féin are not present. If they were, they would be giving out about half the country having private health insurance. However, the reality is that approximately half the population has health insurance. Many have paid for it for a considerable number of years and expect to benefit from it. They are entitled to a benefit from it, although not to the exclusion of people in need who cannot afford health insurance. They are entitled to the extra benefits they have paid for, particularly in terms of accommodation in hospitals. Consumers need to be protected and those who have contributed to the private health insurance market over the years must be recognised. They have made a huge contribution to the health service and it should not be forgotten. Their contribution should be protected, as should their consumer rights. We support the Bill.