Deadline prompts 74,000 to take out health insurance

Around 74,000 people took out health insurance in the weeks before the imposition of new membership rules, it has emerged.

Yesterday, Leo Varadkar, the health minister, confirmed the number of people with private cover increased by 80,000 since the start of the year. However, the bulk of them, about 74,000, acquired health insurance before the introduction on May 1 of Lifetime Community Rating.

Penalties now apply to those over 34 taking out cover for the first time.