INSURANCE: The Voluntary Health Insurance Board (VHI) has withdrawn cover for its members to avail of the most up-to-date diagnostic scanning equipment at the Blackrock Clinic. Dr Muiris Houston reports.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans help doctors decide more accurately how advanced a cancer is, as well as informing optimal treatment in cancer and other diseases.
In a letter sent to hospital consultants yesterday, chief executive of the Blackrock Clinic, Mr Bryan Harty, said: "We have been notified by the VHI that, with effect from August 24th, 2004, it will be withdrawing direct settlement for PET scans carried out on their members at Blackrock Clinic."
According to a spokeswoman for the VHI, it entered an agreement with Blackrock Clinic in April 2000 to cover CAT scans on a pilot basis.
"A review of the programme illustrated low utilisation of the service by our members - on average five scans per week," she said.
The VHI said it decided on a single supplier following a tendering process and awarded a contract to the Mater Private to offer PET scans to all its members from August 11th.
It is understood that the Mater Private will offer this service by means of a mobile PET scanner located in its grounds.
In his statement, Mr Harty also said the VHI had refused to provide cover for the State's first combined PET/CT scanner which is due to open at the Blackrock Clinic in September.
However, the VHI spokeswoman said: "VHI Healthcare has not entered discussions in relation to PET/CT scanners as there is no such technology currently available in Ireland."
But sources at the Blackrock Clinic said they proposed a PET/CT service to the VHI at a meeting last week and were refused cover.
It is understood the State's main health insurer was presented with evidence of the superiority of PET/CT scanning over PET scanning alone in cancer.
Among the advantages listed in the medical literature are improved diagnostic accuracy and a potential to improve patient outcome and reduce side effects in those undergoing radiotherapy.
The scan time is also halved - from 50 minutes for PET alone, to 25 minutes for combined PET/CT.
Dr George Duffy, consultant physician in nuclear medicine at the Blackrock Clinic, said: "PET/CT is superior in its ability to localise malignant lesions as well as reducing the need for additional diagnostic procedures."
The VHI's decision will not affect people with private health insurance from other insurers. In addition, the PET scanning facilities at Blackrock will continue to be available to public patients, who have accounted for 80 per cent of scans carried out at the facility to date.