Delay on universal health insurance plan welcomed

The decision by Minister for Health Leo Varadkar to delay the introduction of universal health insurance (UHI) has been widely welcomed.

Mr Varadkar said universal insurance for health was “still the vision” but it was important to “get it right”.

The Government had planned to introduce UHI by 2019, despite warnings that it would cost people in excess of €1,500 each. Mr Varadkar, in backing away from this target, said people were already struggling financially, without having to pay for UHI.

Fianna Fáil called on the Minister to scrap the scheme. Health spokesman Billy Kelleher accused Mr Varadkar of trying to defuse the issue by claiming its introduction in 2019 was "too ambitious".

GP warning

The Irish College of General Practitioners welcomed the Minister’s announcement but warned that his plans to press ahead with free GP care could lead to an end to same- or next-day services from GPs.

Before UHI was introduced it was important to bring in universal primary care and to show that this worked, said Mr Varadkar.

Supporting the decision, Tánaiste and Labour leader Joan Burton said: “I’ve talked to colleagues in Europe, particularly in Holland, in political parties there, about their particular system, and they always point out that it took them over 10 years to put it into effect, and secondly that it has turned out in some respects to be far more expensive.”

Interviewed on RTÉ Radio, Mr Varadkar said he also planned to work with health insurers to get more people back into the private health insurance market, especially younger subscribers.

Policy initiative

On extending free GP care to under-sixes, and to over-70s, Mr Varadkar said he wanted to do this by the year end. This is subject to agreement by the

Irish Medical Organisation

to its members operating the scheme.

Once the scheme is introduced, parents of young children and over-70s will be able to register by providing PPS numbers online, under plans being drawn up by the Department of Health. Eligibility would be immediate with no need for the department or HSE to issue a card.

Mr Varadkar said free GP care might involve a nominal charge or refundable payment by patients, as is the practice in other countries. He signalled that free primary care would also include dental and optical services, as well as minor operations.