Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the extent to which the cost of the various procedures at public and private hospitals varies between those funded directly or funded by private health insurance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35158/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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My Department does not have any information in relation to the cost of procedures in private hospitals, as such hospitals are outside the ambit of the Health Act and their costs are generally not available due to commercial considerations. In relation to the cost of procedures in public hospitals, this information is collected by the HSE in the context of the Casemix programme. I have therefore referred this matter to the HSE for direct reply.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of procedures funded by private health insurers throughout the public and private health sectors in each of the past five years to date in 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35159/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 252: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the extent, if any, to which she has monitored the number of surgical or medical procedures carried out throughout the public and private hospital sectors in the past 12 months; the extent to which such procedures have been funded through the general medical services or private health insurance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35160/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together.

My Department does not routinely collate records relating to the number of surgical and medical procedures paid for by private health insurers in the public and private health sectors. The insurers are commercial organisations which buy services from a number of providers, some public, others private. As commercial organisations, they are not accountable to me or to my Department in relation to the number of procedures they undertake on behalf of their own insured membership. If the Deputy wishes to ascertain the relevant figures, I would suggest he may wish to contact the private health insurers directly.