HSE unable to recoup €200m over paperwork

HEALTH chiefs are unable to recoup nearly €200 million to pump back into public services because consultants are failing to sign off on their paperwork with insurers.

Figures supplied to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday reveal that outstanding debts relating to private charges amounted to €193m in August this year.

Difficulties in collections arise from the fact that the income from hospital private accommodation charges is linked to claims completed by consultants for insurers.

This debt is up to 175 days old, HSE chief Cathal Magee said.

Mr Magee said if all debts were paid over on a normal commercial basis within 30 days, there would be a once-off cashflow benefit of up to €162m for the HSE.

Health chiefs want a de-coupling of the collection of the hospital charge from the consultant fee and paperwork.

Insurers have told the HSE it will not separate the repayments from the consultant claims.

Department of Health assistant secretary Paul Barron told PAC that it was likely legislation was needed to separate the processing of hospital payments from consultant claims.

Labour TD Derek Nolan said: “We are capitulating to a group of people who won’t do their job timely.”

Mr McGee admitted that the huge delay in recouping money was “unacceptable”.

To add to its financial woes, the HSE said it expects to be sued for damages amounting to some €845m over the coming years.

Many of the liabilities pending relate to failures in services in the care of pregnant women.

The HSE said the estimate for damages had been calculated by the State Claims Agency.

HSE national director of finance, Liam Woods, confirmed a lot of the cases in the book of potential claims related to obstetric cases.

Fianna Fáil’s Sean Fleming warned that the huge financial claims down the line would frustrate efforts by health chiefs to manage budgets.

Mr Fleming also highlighted concerns over “vicious” letters being sent to patients to try to recoup debts over care.

The TD said his constituents had received correspondence from debt collection agencies working for the HSE threatening fines and prison — and in some cases the letters had arrived after the debt had been paid.

Patients had also received calls late at night demanding payments, TDs were told.

Mr Fleming said patients were being threatened with having their names put on published debt lists.

It also emerged yesterday that the HSE is paying €32m a year to lease a third of properties used for its services.

The HSE controls 3,048 properties but leases 1,200 of these at present.

This currently costs €32m a year but the HSE hopes to exit a number of leases and save €10m by 2014.