Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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941. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding private health insurance companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31178/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The main legislative provisions for the regulation of the Irish health insurance market are included in the Health Insurance Acts 1994 to 2014 and insurers are free to design their own health insurance schemes and to enter into agreements with health service providers under this governing legislation. The Minister for Health has no role in the day to day operations of any health insurance company.

Minimum benefit is one of the key principles on which the Irish health insurance regulatory system is based. Minimum Benefit Regulations, made under the Health Insurance Acts, require insurers to provide a minimum benefit to every insured person. The key purpose of the Regulations is to ensure the continued availability of the type of broad hospital cover traditionally held as a minimum by the insured population and to ensure that individuals do not significantly under-insure. Minimum Benefit Regulations were introduced in 1996, under Section 10 of the Health Insurance Act, 1994 and cover in-patient, out-patient and day-patient services provided by publicly funded hospitals, private hospitals, registered nursing homes and hospital consultants.

In the public hospital system, there is no statutory requirement for the HSE to provide Patient Transport Services (PTS). PTS are provided by the HSE on a discretionary basis as opposed to there being a mandatory requirement for provision. It is expected that, as a rule, patients should be in a position to make their own arrangements for journeys unless there are clear medical and/or mobility factors involved. An individual who is transported from one hospital to another hospital for a specific treatment or care is transferred medical advice. It is not intended to amend the Minimum Benefit Regulations to require health insurers cover the cost of such transport. This is consistent with the treatment of a public patient, where no statutory charges apply for such a transfer.