Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

104. To ask the Minister for Health if a person who had to stop paying for health insurance for a period due to a lower income but will purchase insurance after the deadline of 1 May 2015 will have to pay the community levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10680/15]

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

Lifetime Community Rating (LCR) is being introduced to encourage people to take out private health insurance at a younger age. Encouraging more people to join the market at younger ages helps spread the costs of older and less healthy people across the market, helping to support affordable premiums for all.

Private health insurance is optional. There is a nine month grace period, which expires on 30 April 2015, during which time as many people as want to can take out health insurance without incurring loadings. There are exemptions available for people who previously had health insurance but cancelled it. A credited period can apply for any periods of inpatient cover from age 23 years onwards. In addition, a credited period (in total not exceeding 3 years) is also available for individuals who previously had health insurance but relinquished cover since 1 January 2008 due to unemployment. In such cases, the level of loading will then be reduced by the relevant credited period(s).

The Health Insurance Authority website www.hia.ie contains additional information and includes an LCR calculator which provides a useful estimate of the level of loading that may apply.