Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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474. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that employees of the State posted abroad as part of their duties are not disadvantaged by the health insurance lifetime community rating scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17937/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Our health insurance system is voluntary and community-rated, which means that people who are old or sick do not have to pay more for health insurance than the young and healthy. Since 1 May 2015, young people are encouraged to join the private health insurance market at an earlier age and thus avoid late entry loadings of 2% per annum which may apply at age 35 and older. Previous periods of health insurance cover are taken into account in calculating the loading that may apply to individuals, whereby the level of loading is reduced by the relevant credited period(s). These credited periods apply to community-rated health insurance cover with registered health insurers in this country only.

Civil servants serving as diplomats in the Department of Foreign Affairs are generally posted abroad on a number of separate occasions during the course of their career. The Department of Foreign Affairs offer their civil servants posted abroad a policy providing international cover (the cost of which is partly subsidised by that Department). International health care plan such as VHI Global is not a health insurance contract within the meaning of health insurance legislation i.e. they are not subject to community rating, risk equalisation, minimum benefits etc. For the purposes of Lifetime Community Rating, an insured person must have a continuous period of cover under an in-patient indemnity health insurance contract effected by a registered health insurer. As policies such as VHI Global do not meet this legislative requirement, civil servants holding that policy while assigned abroad are subject to Lifetime Community Rating rules if they choose to take out voluntary health insurance on return to Ireland.

Officials from my Department have advised colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that a review of Lifetime Community Rating, after 30 April 2017, is provided for in the regulations. The Health Insurance Authority, as the independent regulator, recently carried out a public consultation process (closing date 3 March 2017) as the first phase of its review of the regulations. The Authority is now in the process of considering all of the submissions received and will submit its report and recommendations to me in due course.