Health insurance - Reform is far too slow

The cost of private health insurance has soared, outstripping inflation rates for other services.

In one spectacular jump the VHI imposed a 45% increase.

These incomprehensible figures have provoked an estimated 6,000 people to drop private cover and many thousands more to modify it. The arrival of a new insurer in the market is welcome if that manages to bring costs down. Especially as an overstretched State has to fill the gap.

The arrival of a new player suggests the entrant does not believe that health service reform will advance to the point where people will have enough confidence in our public health service to forego what is a double tax to secure health services as they are needed rather than when our dysfunctional service might provide them. Government has repeatedly promised this and have yet to make any real progress in this area.

Must do more.