No in-patient public hospital charges from today

From today, people accessing care as a public patient in a public hospital will not be required to pay any charges, Waterford Fine Gael Senator John Cummins has said.

Senator John Cummins stated: “Today, the Minister for Health signed the statutory instrument to remove the acute public in-patient charge of €80 per day, as provided for in the recently enacted Health (Amendment) Act 2023.”

Senator Cummins continued: “Previously, in-patients would have been liable to pay up to a maximum of €800 in a year (including day-case charges). Budget 2023 saw €23.4 billion invested in our public health system, helping to allow for the removal of these charges. Today’s measure builds on the abolition of public in-patient charges for children under 16, which was introduced in September last year.”

Senator Cummins concluded: “The past few years have been incredibly challenging for our health service and ensuring everyone has access to a quality, affordable healthcare is something we in Fine Gael have worked hard on to help deliver. I welcome today’s measure, which is an important step towards reducing the healthcare costs of patients and families.”