Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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1321. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department or the HSE have considered implementing a standard procedure where medical service providers are in direct contact with health insurance providers so that there is no requirement for the patient to contact their health insurance provider to seek a reimbursement for the cost of their medical treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29194/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Hospitals under the remit of the Health Service Executive (HSE) operate a direct payment scheme with a number of private health insurers, including Vhi Healthcare, Level Health, Laya Healthcare, Irish Life Health, St. Paul’s Garda Medical Aid Society, and the Prison Officers’ Medical Aid Society (POMAS).

Under this arrangement, insurance forms are typically completed at the time of, or during, a patient’s admission to hospital, facilitating direct settlement of eligible costs between the hospital and the insurer.

Patients are advised to check with their health insurance provider in advance of admission to confirm the extent of their cover for the proposed treatment. This ensures clarity on any potential out-of-pocket expenses and helps avoid delays in claims processing.

It is important to note that I have no role in the commercial decisions or operational arrangements of private health insurance providers. These are matters for the insurers themselves, operating within the regulatory framework overseen by the Health Insurance Authority (HIA).