Public inpatient charges bill
Deputy Ellis asked when the bill to exempt children under 16 from inpatient charges would undergo scrutiny and whether Sláintecare's wider commitment to abolish public inpatient charges would be honoured. The Tánaiste said the legislation was being drafted, should be ready before the summer recess, and could be extended to adults later.
Under the legislative programme, the Government proposes to bring forward a Bill to exempt children under 16 years of age from the inpatient charge when admitted as public inpatients. While this is welcome, there is also a commitment under Sláintecare, which was agreed by all parties, to abolish such charges for all who present as public inpatients. When will this Bill begin pre-legislative scrutiny? Is there a plan to fulfil the commitment given under Sláintecare to abolish public inpatient charges?
Comment on this
That legislation is being drafted at the moment. I cannot give a definite timeline but the intention is to have that done before the summer recess so we can implement the measure this year. Reducing or abolishing out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare is an important part of Sláintecare. Abolishing inpatient hospital charges for children is an important step in that direction and I hope we can extend that to the abolition of inpatient charges for adults in the future as well.