Private health cover - This is no small matter, minister

Figures given in the Dáil by Health Minister Mary Harney in response to a parliamentary question indicate that 21,000 people cancelled their private health insurance during the first six months of 2009.

In terms of the 2,299,000 people who had health insurance at the beginning of the year the minister depicted the loss as “small,” but it could have tremendous ramifications.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association has expressed concern, because it believes that the number of people discontinuing private insurance cover could more than double to 56,000 people by the end of this year.