Private health customers face premium price hikes of 15%

CASH-STRAPPED consumers struggling to meet private health care costs face further price hikes of up to 15% next year.

Yesterday the country’s second largest health insurer, Quinn-healthcare, announced an average increase in policy costs of 7.9%, but some customers, including a family of two adults and two children, will pay up to 12% more — €220 — for Essential Plus Excess.

An individual adult on this plan will see the premium increase by 15% from €778 to €898. Essential Plus Excess accounts for approximately 25% of Quinn-healthcare membership.