THE DÁIL Public Accounts Committee is set to investigate if the Health Service Executive (HSE) is doing enough to pursue the millions it is owed in unpaid bills.
New figures indicate the HSE’s hospitals are owed between €160 million and €200 million in unpaid AE charges, in fees for private beds, long-stay charges and for treating patients as a result of road incidents.
The chairman of the public accounts committee, Bernard Allen, said this was a matter of serious concern, and he was seeking an explanation from the HSE about the money owed. If this money was collected more services could be provided for patients and fewer cuts in services would be required this year.
“I will be asking the chief executive of the HSE, Prof Brendan Drumm, for an explanation on this massive debt when he next appears before the committee in the next few months. I will also be seeking a full report on what steps are being taken to recoup this outstanding amount,” Mr Allen said.
The HSE, in a statement, said it would have to write off some of the money as bad debt, but it was confident most of the money would be collected.
“The collection rate for AE charges is quite high at 70 per cent average collection rate. Provision for bad debts is also an ongoing feature of the HSE accounting policies and procedures which would be normal commercial practice.
“Our experience is that at least 70 per cent of the outstanding amount will be collected, and we also make appropriate provision for bad debts in each debt category,” it said.
“Given sensitivities of dealing with very ill patients and the relatives of deceased patients, it is not always appropriate to employ aggressive debt-collection methods more associated to the commercial sector.”