Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

751. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to ensure that persons eligible for a public bed in a public hospital are not been asked to sign a waiver form by the public hospitals in cases in which they have private health insurance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34153/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

When patients are admitted to hospital they have the option of being treated as a public patient or private patient. Those patients opting to be treated privately have chosen to pay the consultant and the hospital in respect of the services that each provides. The charges applied in respect of private care in a public hospital relate not only to accommodation costs but also costs associated with non-consultant hospital doctors, nursing staff, medicines, blood, medical and surgical supplies, radiology, diagnostics, operating theatres, laboratories, administration and support staff.

The operational procedures for the management of patients' treatment preferences and the collection of private inpatient charges are a matter for the HSE in the first instance and I have asked the Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this regard. I am very anxious that the application of these necessary procedures is sensitive to the health status of patients whilst in hospital and wants to ensure that patients do not experience upset at such a difficult time. The Department is therefore working with the HSE to establish what processes are in place across the hospital system for implementing the law in this regard. The Department will work with the HSE to ensure that a consistent approach is taken in implementing the operational procedures and that a monitoring process is put in place.