Universal health insurance is vital

It is becoming increasingly obvious in the inevitable unfolding crisis and clearly unsustainable situation in what we liberally, generously and erroneously call the ‘private health insurance’ and ‘private healthcare’ markets, that these were, and are, unhealthy and distorted markets.

Acknowledging the vital and valuable contribution these entities continue to make in buttressing the provision of healthcare in Ireland, it is worth noting:

1: The generous tax subvention on premiums over the years masked the true cost of the insurance.