Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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179. To ask the Minister for Health if it is intended that lifetime community rating would be still be in place for the introduction of universal health insurance and that younger persons who do not take out private health insurance prior to the introduction of universal health insurance would therefore have to pay a higher premium than they would have if they had taken out private health insurance previously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19816/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Government has embarked on a major reform programme for the health system, the aim of which is to deliver a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance, where access is based on need, not income. The White Paper on Universal Health Insurance(UHI) published on 2nd April 2014 provides detailed information on the UHI model for Ireland, the process for determining the future basket of health services, including those services that will be covered under UHI and the financing mechanisms for UHI.

Under UHI everyone will be insured for the same standard package of services and everyone will have a choice of health insurer. In addition, the White Paper states that people will enjoy the following important protections when purchasing a UHI policy:

- Open enrolment: A person must be accepted and provided with a UHI policy by their chosen insurer regardless of their age, health status or other risk factors.

- Lifetime cover: Every person will have the right to renew their UHI policy regardless of their age, health status or other risk factors.

- Community rating: Insurers will not be allowed to charge different premiums for the same policy depending on an individual’s risk profile (‘same policy, same premium’). This principle of community rating will be supported by a system of risk equalisation.

- Equal access: Insurers will not be allowed to sell a policy conferring faster access to services covered by the standard UHI package.

On that basis, therefore, there is no question of higher premiums attaching to individuals who opted not to take out private health insurance prior to the introduction of UHI.

However, in order to prepare for the transition to UHI, I am committed to maintaining an affordable and competitive health insurance market and I am keen to create the best possible environment within which more people will seek to take out and keep health insurance. In particular, I would like to encourage younger people to join as early as possible. Lifetime community rating is intended to encourage people to join health insurance schemes early and to retain their private health insurance cover. My Department is working on the legislation required to implement this measure, intended for introduction in 2015, and I will announce further details in due course.