Written answers

Thursday, 19 July 2012

5:00 pm

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 804: To ask the Minister for Health in respect of Ireland's bilateral health care reimbursement agreement with the United Kingdom arising from the application of Regulation (EC) 1408/71 if he will provide the information (details supplied) [36886/12]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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EU Regulation 1408/71 facilitates free movement of workers and others within the EU by providing for coordination between member states' healthcare and social security systems. In relation to healthcare, its provisions ensure that where people are covered by the healthcare system of one member state, but residing or staying in another member state, they can access the public healthcare system of that member state under certain conditions. The Regulation provides for the reimbursement of such costs between member states.

Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) have, since 1973, operated a bilateral reimbursement agreement for the costs of healthcare provided under the above Regulation, whereby net liability is calculated on a lump sum (based on the average cost of healthcare in each country for the year concerned as approved at EU level), rather than an individual, basis, in respect of the following three categories of persons: (1) Pensioners and their dependants, (2) Temporary visitors (3) Dependant families of workers.

Pensioner costs account for the major portion of the total payment. The estimated number of pensioners for whom each country is liable is based on a sample survey by both administrations undertaken every three years, the agreed results of which is applied to the total pensioner number. This methodology has been under discussion and in 2011 both administrations agreed in principle to work towards a form of pensioner registration commencing in 2012 and agreed interim arrangements, based on previous survey results trends, for determining pensioner liability pending the implementation of same.

The net amounts received by Ireland from the UK under the bilateral agreement since 2009 are as follows: 2009 – 286m; 2010 – 320m; 2011 – 270m: 2012 – 130m (to date).

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