Incoming health minister urged to tackle rising costs

IRELAND’S next health minister has been urged to prevent insurers from bleeding people dry after the latest in a series of painful premium hikes were imposed on patients.

Since the start of 2010, when the economic crisis has been at its most crippling, Ireland’s three health insurers VHI, Quinn Healthcare and Aviva, have repeatedly raised their coverage costs.

The latest move came on Monday when Quinn told its estimated 500,000 customers fees will rise 6% in just four weeks time — the second price hike by the firm since the start of January.