Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

502. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm if it is still the case, as outlined in the programme for Government, that as a statutory system of health insurance, guaranteed by the State, the universal health insurance system will not be subject to European or national competition law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14730/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Programme for Government envisaged a system of universal health insurance (UHI) that would not be subject to competition law, and Future Health: A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012-2015 undertook to examine how this could be done. The Government believes that competition among both insurers and healthcare providers will help to contain costs. The competitive market under UHI will be subject to a high level of regulation in order to protect the interests of both the State and individual consumers.