Written answers

Tuesday, 28 March 2006

Department of Health and Children

Hospital Charges

11:00 pm

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 171: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if patients who are admitted to hospitals and who spend time on a trolley are charged; the amount of money charged to such patients over the past three years; if court actions were taken to recoup the money owed in some cases; if so, the number of court cases which were taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11726/06]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the management and delivery of health and personal social services is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. The questions raised by the Deputy are operational matters which come within the remit of the executive. Accordingly, the Department of Health and Children has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have to have these matters investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

The legal position regarding charging is asfollows: the Health (Out-Patient Charges)(Amendment) Regulations 2005 provide for a statutory charge of €60 for attendance at accident and emergency departments. This charge is levied only on persons who attend at accident and emergency departments without a referral note from their doctor and applies only for the first visit of any episode of care. The Health (In-Patient Charges)(Amendment) Regulations 2005 impose a charge of €60 per night up to a maximum of €600 in any 12 consecutive months, during which an individual is maintained as an inpatient in a public hospital. As well as those with full eligibility, categories exempted from the charges include children up to the age of six weeks, women receiving services in respect of motherhood and children suffering from specified diseases.

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