‘Building blocks’ in place for universal healthcare, says Varadkar

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar says he is putting "key building blocks" in place for the introduction of universal healthcare as quickly as possible.

He told the Seanad they included the phased extension of GP care without fees, implementation of key financial reforms, including activity-based funding, the establishment of hospital groups on a statutory footing and measures to make health insurance more affordable.

Mr Varadkar was replying to Renua Ireland Senator Paul Bradford, who noted the Minister had not outlined any timetable. "However, I know a lot of work remains to be undertaken,'' he added.

Financial penalty

Mr Bradford asked if the Government was trying to bring about universal health insurance by forcing everybody, by way of financial penalty or levy, to take out private health insurance with the current set of providers.

Mr Varadkar said the initial measures in the health insurance area were designed more to make the current system sustainable rather than to create a new one.

“For a community-rated health insurance system to work, we need young healthy people paying in so that we do not have to levy older, sicker people with higher premiums, which we do not,” he added.