Health Services

Wednesday, 25 March 2026

Questions (325)

Paul Nicholas Gogarty

Question:

325. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Health if her Department intends to review the operation of private health insurers in relation to coverage for medically indicated liposuction procedures for lipoedema patients, in light of concerns regarding inconsistent decision-making, the use of criteria designed for lymphoedema rather than lipoedema, and practices that may result in patients being forced to rely on the cross-border directive for treatment. [22559/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As Minister for Health, I am responsible for the legislative framework governing the private health insurance market in Ireland. This is a voluntary market that operates under the core principles of community rating, open enrolment, lifetime cover and minimum benefit.

Under the Health Insurance Act 1994 (Minimum Benefit) Regulations 1996, insurers are required to provide a minimum level of cover to every insured person, regardless of the policy they hold. Private health insurers operate as commercial entities within a competitive market, and where a procedure or service is not designated as a minimum benefit under the Regulations, insurers may determine themselves whether to include it on particular plans.

Beyond the scope of these Regulations, I have no statutory role in the commercial decision-making of private health insurers. Accordingly, I cannot direct any insurer to provide cover for a specific procedure or service, nor direct how that cover is to be provided.