Health insurance amendment Bill
Bernard Durkan asked when the promised Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill would come before the House. The Taoiseach said Cabinet had approved it that week and it would be enacted before year-end, and welcomed VHI's premium reductions.
The health insurance (amendment) Bill is promised legislation. It relates to the risk equalisation credits and corresponding stamp duty levies on health insurance policies for 2018 to incorporate the lifetime community rating system, and will have an impact on public health insurance. When is the Bill likely to come before the House?
Comment on this
The Bill was approved by Cabinet this week, so it will come before the House and will be enacted, or it is intended it will be enacted, through both Houses before the end of the year, as it has to be. As the Deputy mentioned health insurance, I certainly welcome the news this morning that VHI, the biggest health insurance company, is going to reduce its premiums across a number of plans.
That will be welcome news for people across the country because it is the first time we have seen health insurance premiums go down in a very long time.