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IN THE LAST two days health minister Leo Varadkar has admitted that alternative approaches to his predecessor James Reilly’s idea of universal health cover are being considered.
Options such as the return of dental care costs being recoverable for people paying PRSI, a similar idea for GP care, and the idea of possibly confining Universal Health Insurance (UHI) to hospital care only and excluding drug payment schemes and primary care are all being considered.
Varadkar has insisted that these changes to the government’s approach to the issue are not signs that they are abandoning the idea of UHI, but rather they indicate how committed they are to pushing the system through.
But what do the experts think?
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Dermot Goode of TotalHealthCover.ie said that the prospect of UHI actually happening depends on two things: how much it will cost and whether or not the various stakeholders get behind it.
“The bottom line is what the cost will be, and that’s something we’ve seen no visibility around whatsoever which is worrying,” said Goode.
After that, the fact that we currently have a two-tier system of public and private, that means that you have to find a reconciliation between the two and that simply won’t be easy.
There are other issues as well unfortunately. Goode says that unless you can guarantee a system with no waiting lines then the system is “as good as dead before it starts”.
I think it’s fantastic that they’re looking into the options available before committing, but no matter what is decided upon obstacles remain. We may be trying to emulate the Dutch system but Holland has no public/private split, and no waiting times. These are things that have to be overcome.
Goode says that an implementation time of five to ten years is the minimum anyone can hope for given the complexities of our situation. Issues such as getting private hospital standards to be accepted by the public system for example. And Varadkar has already acknowledged that the government has somewhat underestimated the job they have on their hands.
But, while Fianna Fáil say the government should finally abandon their health policy as having no cost basis, Goode contends that there is still plenty to be optimistic about.
“Do I think they’re committed to this? Yes I think the previous minister was committed, and I believe this one is too, as can be seen with the things he has implemented even in recent times,” he says.
He’s talking about the introduction of a Lifetime Community Rating (LCR, health care penalties for those over 35 who have yet to sign up to health insurance) and free GP care for the under-sixes, both of which are stepping stones towards universal health care.
That says commitment to me. There are issues obviously. LCR means that anyone over 35 who hasn’t signed up is basically permanently priced out of health insurance for example.
But they’re still very positive moves in the right direction as regards universal health care, and show that they’re serious. Now they need to tackle the waiting lists – that’s 60,000 people our current system is failing right now.
There’s still two major problems though as far as Goode is concerned when it comes to UHI, and all the research into alternatives in the world can’t really alleviate them.
“The first is if the government is voted out. You can bet the policy will go with them, and ten or even five years is a long time to expect them to survive,” he says.
The second is that, while our private system was on its knees three years ago, it has turned the corner and is in relatively rude health now. And the better the private system, the more appropriate a fallback it is for people looking to double protect themselves, the less amenable those stakeholders will be to the idea of universal health care.
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We already pay for the health system. The Hospitals, Doctors and Nurses are already paid for by the taxpayer. There should be no need for any taxpayer in this country to need private health insurance..
In an obtuse way, private healthcare benefits the public healthcare. Inasmuch as its addressing problems in the public system, problems that if they weren’t there would mean we would have no need for private healthcare. For example, where you could take up space in the public system on elective surgeries, a private provider could do the same. Thus the current overcrowded nature of the public system is eased by having people go private.
There’s also the issue of taxes. You are right in that we pay for the hospitals, doctors, nurses, medicines etc. but if we want the level of healthcare that we would like, then we need to pay for significantly more via tax. Paying private is effectively an indirect tax in that we are paying the extra for the service we would like on the public system, but one that we don’t want to pay direct tax for.
True, and anything an apologist for the private sector has to say should be roundly ignored. This article should have Paid Advertisement on the base.
Balls.
We just don’t pay enough to have a functioning health system…
The root of this is cost. If my tax doesn’t change and then I have to pay UHI on too, when I’m already at 58%, then it is simply too much.
The Health Insurance Act is quite simply, free money for insurance companies. If we want to have private health care then we should use private hospitals. Our Fathers and Grandfathers built these hospitals and it is quite simply the poor subsidising the rich. Top plan with VHI for myself, wife and two kids is €6,000 per month. What price do we put on our health?
€6,000 per month???? Per year you mean
Health insurance in general is a scam
Want free health care ??
Get yourself a drug addiction and some criminals convictions.
This was never a realistic proposal, it was a crackpot idea from a crackpot minister, who had to be removed from the health portfolio.
Why, is holding your breath not covered?
Well this new EU cross care directive is absolutely brilliant. My daughter would have been waiting 5 years to have her tonsils out here. I was planning to get a loan and pay privately to have them removed here (roughly €5000) but I am now going to have them removed privately up north (£2000) and the HSE have to refund the amount it would have cost to have them removed publicly here. I have already spoken to the government department responsible and it really is that simple.
8 months out of work still waiting to see a specialist, nice 1 leo
The FG/Lab Government will go for complete privatization and walk away…..American system pay or die TTIP type poster boys; Dobbies Gimps.
No doubt Journal Towers will be publishing an article on “Why Leo thinks puppies are great” later this evening.
the much vaunted Dutch model has its own flaws. More choice on policies has not led to either cost capping or cost reductions. Much like our own increased ‘choice’ of policies, many of them are only covering basic care needs that are currently covered under the position contributions.
I love the Dutch. But I cannot understand where the benefit of UHI over single-payer (NHS) is. It adds a whole extra layer of complexity. Even if you guarantee everyone will be insured, when people lose their jobs etc. there will need to be someone to administrate the change in insurance.
damn predictive text. Should read PRSI
This FG election promise is gone the same way as their promise to burn the bondholders
Mick there politicians never ever belief them ever. Their promises are only as good as long as their spittal is on your shirt while they make them. Remember Enda “this is not our debt”?
We are not a civilised country as the working poor simply cannot afford to go to the doctor or the dentist.
€50+ is just too expensive when considering all the other bills people are trying to cope with. Unfortunately people’s health is taking a back seat for many struggling people right now. It’s a sad reality that is rarely discussed.
Hmmn I didn’t sign up to private health care before the deadline as work have a scheme but it’s held up at the moment. As I’m over 34 am I still subject to the 2% levy if I sign up now?
It is illegal under the European charter of fundamental human rights???
have your say