Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

47. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the progress that his Department has made towards implementing universal health insurance; if his Department has assessed the social impact of the policy, in view of the study, by Mr Charles Normand (details supplied), on the matter of the inefficiencies of private health insurance companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8049/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 (UHI), where access is based on need, not income.

The White Paper on Universal Health Insurancewas published on 2nd April 2014 and provides detailed information on the UHI model for Ireland. The model set out in the White Paper contains a number of important protections for the public, including open enrolment, lifetime cover, community rating and a system of financial protection, whereby the State will pay for, or subsidise, the cost of UHI premiums for those who qualify.

While my Department has not undertaken a formal social impact assessment on the UHI model, it is currently engaged in a major costing exercise. This exercise will examine the cost implications of a change to a multi-payer, universal health insurance model, as proposed in the White Paper on UHI. The analysis will include a review of evidence of the effects on healthcare spending of alternative systems of financing, and of changes in financing methods and entitlements. It will also estimate the cost of UHI for individuals, households and the Exchequer. I expect to have the initial results from this exercise in April, following which I will revert to Government with a roadmap on the next steps to UHI.

Finally, I have already indicated that it will not be possible to introduce a full UHI system by 2019, as envisaged in the White Paper. However, I want to emphasise my commitment to implementing key health reforms, as set out in the Programme for Government and the White Paper. In particular, I want to push ahead with critical building blocks for universal healthcare, including the phased extension of universal GP care without fees, improved management of chronic diseases, implementation of financial reforms, including activity-based funding, and the establishment of hospital groups. As well as representing critical building blocks for the future health system, these initiatives are also important reforms in their own right that will drive efficiencies and bring benefits in advance of moving to a system of universal healthcare.