Universal health insurance moves closer to reality
Briefing papers released last night show Health Minister James Reilly’s move is supported by other Cabinet members. Under the plan, an implementation body will be set up to examine how to impose universal health insurance on the health service system and what changes are needed to make the move feasible.
Universal health insurance — which guarantees a person’s medical costs will still be covered even if they have no income — was a key part of Fine Gael and Labour’s pre-election health service reform promises. It aims to eliminate the existing two- tier service and introduce free GP care for all.
According to pre-election promises by Dr Reilly, it will be achieved through “savings” achieved through the reform of other HSE services, such as specific payments to doctors and hospitals. Free cover for children is also proposed.
Before the election, a similar plan based more on patient care than market initiatives was put forward by Labour’s then health spokes- woman Jan O’Sullivan.
A senior spokesperson for Dr Reilly said he could not confirm when the make-up of the universal health insurance implementation body would be known.
He said the most likely implementation date for the project at this stage is during the next term of Government, with issues such as waiting lists and where exactly the money will be found to fund the move due to be resolved before then.
A non-government public meeting on how a universal health insurance system could work is due to be held by the Health Economics Group in the Department of Economics at University College Cork (UCC) on Wednesday, June 22.
