Medics: Health insurance plan impossible to implement

Fears that the Government plan to introduce universal health insurance (UHI) is unworkable and based on a “utopian concept” which would be impossible to implement were raised by doctors at the weekend.

Speaking at the Irish Medical Organisation’s AGM in Co Kildare, Cillian Twomey described the recently-published white paper on UHI as “indecipherable gobbledegook” with a proposed funding mechanism that was “off the wall”.

Mayo GP Ken Egan questioned how patients could be offered a basket of procedures, including certain primary care services, under the new proposed model, without adequate resources in the community. “No-one is looking at the pricing supports needed in the community,” said Dr Egan.