Insurance costs - Time to be assertive

There is more than enough evidence to show that health costs have gathered an out-of-control momentum.

Indeed, Health Minister James Reilly has said he expected health insurers to be far more assertive in challenging fees set by service providers.

Even in this context today’s story about a woman who spent 90 minutes at a private hospital and was charged €1,175 for using a room on top of other fees seems to break new ground.