Hospital charges must match care, says group

PRIVATE health insurers needed to agree hospital charges that reflect advances in medical care, a patients’ advocate group urged yesterday.

The VHI was severely criticised this week for allowing private hospitals to charge €6,000-plus for care regardless of whether patients were kept in for one day or 12.

“We understand that these kind of prices were set about five years ago and they haven’t changed,” said Stephen McMahon, chairperson of the Irish Patients’ Association.