Sir, – You’ve got to hand it to Minister for Health James Reilly. His proposed universal health insurance scheme will neatly take care of his two biggest headaches: how to extract more money from the punters, and how to get rid of our system of “community-rating” which has become increasingly irksome for the insurance companies.
This is how it will work. Everyone who isn’t on welfare will be forced to buy a “basic” healthcare package for €1,600 under threat of levy by the Revenue Commissioners (in other words, it’s a “tax”). This basic package will entitle everyone to exactly the same substandard service currently “enjoyed” by those dependent on medical cards – queuing included. “Extras” (ie the benefits people currently buy health insurance for) will now be “risk-rated”, with huge consequential premium-hikes for the old and sick. – Yours, etc,
PETER MURRAY,
Currabinny,
Carrigaline, Co Cork.
Sir, – Having left the US to be rid of “Obamacare”, I am now to be subjected to “Reillycare”. – Yours, etc,
JONATHAN O’RIORDAN,
The Green,
Woodpark,
Ballinteer,
Dublin 16.