Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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127. To ask the Minister for Health if there is any roadmap for the elimination of hospital charges planned alongside the introduction of universal health insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43420/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The question of the whether there will be hospital charges under a future system of universal healthcare remains to be determined.

Co-payments for certain services are often a feature of health insurance systems in other countries. The White Paper on Universal Health Insurance, published earlier this year, had stated that the State would determine the standard UHI package, including the minimum and maximum out of pocket payments which may be applied as part of the package. Some level of co-payments could assist in reducing the cost of insurance plans under a future system of UHI. However, there would have to be careful consideration of any proposed co-payments to ensure that they would not become a barrier to accessing the health services which citizens need and are entitled to.