Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 September 2026
197. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the health insurance authority has assessed the effect of reduced private activity in public hospitals on private health insurance premiums, on the number of people holding private health insurance, and on demand for capacity in private hospitals; and if such an assessment will be published. [69207/26]
View answerThe removal of private practice from public hospitals is a core principle of Sláintecare, ensuring that public healthcare facilities are used for public patients only, and that public patients can access public hospitals based on clinical need.
As Minister for Health, I am also responsible for the legal framework governing the private health insurance market. The Health Insurance Authority (HIA) maintains regulatory oversight of insurers and monitors developments in the private health insurance market, advising me in relation to such matters.
The private health insurance market operates on a competitive, commercial basis. Insurers set their premiums in line with their own commercial decisions and strategies, within the framework of the Health Insurance Act 1994, as amended.
Health insurance companies generally base their premium prices on their expected claims experience for the next 12 months. They make predictions based on the number of persons in the market, their age profile, what healthcare services they will require in the coming year and the prices of such services, and price their premiums accordingly. Healthcare costs rise annually due to increasing hospital charges, more expensive treatments and technologies, higher wages and increased operating costs. Insurers factor all these costs into their pricing strategies.
As Minister for Health, I have no role in the commercial decision-making of private health insurers, including decisions on premium prices.
In its most recent Market Bulletin, the Health Insurance Authority noted that while the number of individuals holding private health insurance remains higher than a year ago, the latest figures may indicate that the market is entering a period of slower growth. The Authority has not attributed this to any one particular factor. The Health Insurance Authority continues to monitor developments in the private health insurance market and reports regularly on market trends. These reports are published on its website, www.hia.ie.
Demand for services and capacity in private hospitals is influenced by a range of factors and is primarily a commercial matter for the private hospitals concerned.
