Galway families could see their health insurance soar by a further 30 per cent under new legislation being introduced by the Health Minister James Reilly.
This is the view of Galway East Fianna Fáil TD Michael Kitt who said even more families and individuals will be “forced to drop their private health insurance” if costs continue to increase.
According to Dep Kitt, the Government’s decision to charge private patients the full cost of using public hospital beds could lead to a 30 per cent rise in health insurance costs.
He fears insurance companies will “drive up their prices to cover these extra costs”, and ordinary policy holders will be forced to pay for it.
“Every single month around 6,000 people across the country drop their health insurance,” said Dep Kitt. “Minister Reilly’s new legislation will make things even worse.”
Looking at the situation in Galway specifically, Dep Kitt said he has spoken to many people in Galway East and they have reported that “they are being forced into an impossible situation”.
“If they are to keep meeting the spiralling health insurance costs, they will be forced to stop paying other household bills,” the TD warned. “The Government needs to wake up to the deepening crisis in the health insurance sector.”
Dep Kitt says the Government needs to incentivise younger customers and young families to enter and re-enter the market by driving down costs.
