Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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154. To ask the Minister for Health the amount paid out under the European health insurance scheme in each of the years 2011 to 2018. [8573/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I will answer in respect of those elements of reimbursement made direct by my Department and I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in respect of the payments it processes.

Ireland and the United Kingdom operate a bilateral healthcare reimbursement arrangement in respect of health services provided under EU Regulations, covering temporary visitors between the two countries, pensioners of one country and their dependants residing in the other country, and the dependant family members of persons employed in the other country.

Under the arrangement net liability between the two countries is calculated on a lump sum basis rather than an individual basis. The amount payable in any one year is based on an estimate of the number of persons falling within categories eligible for reimbursement and for whom each country is liable and an estimate of the average cost of providing healthcare treatment. The amount payable is agreed following compilation of the necessary data and agreement between the two administrations. An initial payment on account is made for the relevant year and is subject to final settlement once all necessary statistical and financial information is complete. The finalisation of accounts is normally some years in arrears to facilitate collation of relevant statistics and for the approval of the average cost prepared by each country for the year concerned at EU level.

Ireland’s liability to the United Kingdom in respect of reference years 2011 to 2014 represent final settled amounts and are as follows:

Accounts for years 2015 to 2018 have not yet been finalised.