OECD urge State to provide universal healthcare

The State has been advised to provide universal health care and reverse the trend towards having more people depend on voluntary health insurance, and should also consider introducing ‘sin taxes’ on tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food.

The advice is in a report on the fiscal sustainability of health systems from the Paris-based OECD, which warns that Irish health costs will grow by as much as a third over the next 15 years, and more if not properly managed.

It says the country is in danger of not being able to afford healthcare for its citizens in the future, and some of that is down to the kind of cuts made during the economic crisis.