(Supplementary Order Paper)

24 DÁIL ÉIREANN

Dé Máirt, 5 Márta, 2013 Tuesday, 5th March, 2013

2 p.m.

I dTOSACH GNÓ PHOIBLÍ AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS

Fógraí Tairisceana : Notices of Motions a13. “Go n-ordóidh an do That the Ceann Comhairle direct the Clerk of Chléireach na Dála a eascaire a chur amach the Dáil to issue his writ for the election of a chun Comhalta a thoghadh chun an folúntas a Member to fill the vacancy which has líonadh a tharla i gcomhaltas na Dála seo de occurred in the membership of the present dheasca an Teachta Seán Mac an tSaoi, Dáil consequent on the death of Deputy comhalta do dháilcheantar na Mí Thoir, Shane McEntee, a member for the d’fháil bháis. constituency of Meath East.”

—Pól Mac Eochaidh, Aire Stáit ag Roinn an Taoisigh.

GNÓ COMHALTAÍ PRÍOBHÁIDEACHA PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Fógra i dtaobh leasú ar Thairiscint : Notice of Amendment to Motion

97. “That Dáil Éireann: notes that: — there is an ongoing and persistent increase in the cost of private health insurance, with a crisis of affordability for both individuals and families developing; — the increase in private health insurance premiums is significantly ahead not only of inflation generally, but health sector inflation as well; — an average of six thousand consumers leave the private health insurance market every month; — there is little incentive for younger people to take out health insurance; — the haemorrhage of younger, healthier policy holders is threatening the sustainability of the private insurance market by generating further upward pressure on health insurance premiums for those who remain; and — many of those who remain have downgraded their level of cover; and

P.T.O. calls on the Government to: — act speedily to reduce costs in the delivery of both public and private health care as undertaken in the Programme for Government; — introduce lifetime community rating; — revise the legal definition of non-advanced plans so that the 300,000 holders of lower level plans will not face a substantial rise in their health levy; — defer the increase in the health levy which is scheduled for the end of March; — remove children from liability to the levy; — ensure patients who have private health insurance and pay their taxes do not lose their universal entitlement to public health care funded by the State; — work with insurers to develop industry standard clinical pathways; — permit public hospitals to negotiate with health insurers; and — use its position and purchasing power as a VHI shareholder to negotiate a reduction in consultant fees.” — , John Browne, , , , , Seán Fleming, Seamus Kirk, Michael P. Kitt, Micheál Martin, Michael Moynihan, Charlie McConalogue, Michael McGrath, John McGuinness, Éamon Ó Cuív, Willie O'Dea, Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Brendan Smith, .

Leasú: Amendment:

1. To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:

“strongly endorses the principal of community rating, whereby people can buy health insurance for the same price irrespective of their age or health status; acknowledges with satisfaction the passing by the of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Act 2012, which introduced a permanent scheme of risk equalisation effective from 1st January, 2013; commends the Minister for Health on the measures he is taking to protect community rating in the private health insurance market and recognises the support that risk equalisation provides to maintaining community rating in the market in helping to ensure the affordability of health insurance for older people; supports the work of the Minister for Health to ensure a sustainable private health insurance market in Ireland; welcomes: — the success of the Minister for Health in securing the approval of the EU Commission for the new Risk Equalisation Scheme as a vital means of protecting the affordability of private health insurance for older and less healthy customers who are most likely to need it; and — the notifications by insurers for categorisation of another 30 plans as non-advanced by the industry regulator, the Health Insurance Authority, to be made available to customers, with a corresponding lower rate of Stamp Duty, from 31st March, 2013; after that date new products can be introduced at any time subject to meeting a 30 day notification period and requirements for classification; notes that there is no need to amend the legal definition of non-advanced plans since they will be readily available to customers under the current definition; supports the work of the Minister for Health to make private health insurance affordable for all who wish to purchase it; welcomes and supports: — the Government’s continuing work to address unacceptably high costs in the private health insurance market and shares the Minister’s concern that increases in private health insurance premiums are not justified in all circumstances; and — the actions of the Minster for Health in requiring the VHI to address its cost base immediately, including action on the fees it pays to health professionals, auditing the volume of treatments it pays for and clinically reviewing the appropriateness of these procedures; endorses the Government’s policy of generating additional income for public hospitals, by addressing the present subsidy enjoyed by health insurers in respect of their private patients who occupy public hospital beds; further supports the continuing work on the Health Service Executive National Clinical Programmes in developing effective clinical pathways for patients that can be utilised by all health insurers; and further endorses the actions of the Minister for Health designed to ensure a strong and competitive health insurance market as a key building block in the Government’s commitment to implement Universal Health Insurance.” — An tAire Sláinte.

P.T.O.