Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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568. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether the effect of the Health (Amendment) Act 2013 is double taxation for persons who have health insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4225/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all persons ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to public in-patient hospital services and to public out-patient hospital services. Section 55 provides that the HSE may provide private in-patient services to persons who are not entitled to, or who do not have or have waived eligibility to public in-patient services. An essential element of the eligibility arrangements is that the "public" or "private" status of a patient must be specified on admission to hospital. The holding of private health insurance is optional and has no effect on people's statutory entitlements or obligations. These arrangements have operated under successive Governments and over several decades.

Where a patient elects to be treated privately by a consultant, he or she is liable for the fees of all consultants involved in his or her care and for statutory hospital charges under Section 55 for that episode of care. The application of a charge by a hospital for private in-patient services is obligatory and Government policy has been to move towards recovery of the full economic cost of the services provided by the hospital. Where private in-patient services are provided, the daily charges that apply depend on the category of hospital (Schedule 5 or 6 of the Health Act) and whether the overnight accommodation was in a single or multi-occupancy room.