Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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496. To ask the Minister for Health the costs incurred by each public hospital in contracting external debt collection agencies to pursue unpaid statutory charges in each of the years 2013 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55522/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Patient charges are a key element of the overall funding envelope of the Irish health system and are taken into account when agreeing the Annual Estimates and the subsequent preparation of the HSE’s annual National Service Plan.

These charges typically include:

- Out-patient charges;

- In-patient charges; and

- Long-term stay charges.

Certain cohorts of people may be exempt from some or all of these charges.

In addition, patients who opt for private in-patient services in public hospitals are liable for a range of private in-patient charges. There are no exemptions from these charges.

Non collection of debts owed directly impacts on the affordability of services provided by the Health Service Executive in any year. It is therefore incumbent on the HSE to take all reasonable steps to pursue amounts owed for services delivered. Debt collection agencies are engaged when normal billing arrangements have been unsuccessful.

The operational detail of this question is a matter for the HSE and I have asked them to respond to you directly in relation to that detail.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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497. To ask the Minister for Health the number of inpatients or inpatient day cases with unpaid inpatient charges whose debt was referred to a debt collection or legal agency in each of the years 2013 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55523/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Patient charges are a key element of the overall funding envelope of the Irish health system and are taken into account when agreeing the Annual Estimates and the subsequent preparation of the HSE’s annual National Service Plan.

These charges typically include:

- Out-patient charges;

- In-patient charges; and

- Long-term stay charges.

Certain cohorts of people may be exempt from some or all of these charges.

In addition, patients who opt for private in-patient services in public hospitals are liable for a range of private in-patient charges. There are no exemptions from these charges.

Non collection of debts owed directly impacts on the affordability of services provided by the Health Service Executive in any year. It is therefore incumbent on the HSE to take all reasonable steps to pursue amounts owed for services delivered. Debt collection agencies are engaged when normal billing arrangements have been unsuccessful.

The operational detail of this question is a matter for the HSE and I have asked them to respond to you directly in relation to that detail.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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498. To ask the Minister for Health the expenditure by the HSE and public hospitals on referral of statutory charges to external debt collection or legal agencies; the breakdown of expenditure by charge, that is, inpatient charge, outpatient and emergency charge in each of the years 2013 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55524/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Patient charges are a key element of the overall funding envelope of the Irish health system and are taken into account when agreeing the Annual Estimates and the subsequent preparation of the HSE’s annual National Service Plan.

These charges typically include:

- Out-patient charges;

- In-patient charges; and

- Long-term stay charges.

Certain cohorts of people may be exempt from some or all of these charges.

In addition, patients who opt for private in-patient services in public hospitals are liable for a range of private in-patient charges. There are no exemptions from these charges.

Non collection of debts owed directly impacts on the affordability of services provided by the Health Service Executive in any year. It is therefore incumbent on the HSE to take all reasonable steps to pursue amounts owed for services delivered. Debt collection agencies are engaged when normal billing arrangements have been unsuccessful.

The operational detail of this question is a matter for the HSE and I have asked them to respond to you directly in relation to that detail.