Protest at private health conference

by Private health customer Mon Apr 21, 2008 13:47

I support you in absentia on 24th, but maybe you could help me with some sums.

I have private healthcare which costs the 6 of us €422 per month = €5,064 p.a. Divide by 6 is €844 per head p.a. The policy covers treatment abroad if it's not available here privately. We only pay it because the state system has let us down in the past.

Multiply €844 /person by 4.2 million people and that would be €3,545-odd million (3.5 billion) a year. The health service will cost €16 billion in 2008.

In other words, the state could give everyone a "free" private health policy at a cost of €3.5 billion, spend another €4 billion on A&E and property maintenance, and still save itself €8.5 billion a year.

Is that crazy all-round mismanagement or have I missed something? I'd genuinely like to know.

by Sceptic Mon Apr 21, 2008 15:44

You are indeed missing something namely that the core private health insurance covers acute hospital care only for the most part. The public system has to support an awful lot more – not just A&E also various allowances, nursing homes, the entire public primary medicine system, mental health and the GMS drug bill. Not to mention the capital costs of building facilities.

The Labour Party and the Adelaide Hospital Society have advocated different private insurance system for all model instead of the present private public model but the metrics would be quite different from what you have presented.

by PH customer Mon Apr 21, 2008 22:27

Thanks I couldn't ever work it out.

I admit I don't know the number of people in old folks' homes. Is it 100,000? What does that cost, about? How many are public / private?

Likewise A&E, mental health, etc. Are they ever broken down into amounts? We know that they are often inadequate, but what does the inadequacy cost us? And a super-grossly-fat health minister has been a bad advertisement since she took office.

As for a private conference presented as a networking opportunity, that is just as bad.

by Sceptic Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:16

PH customer – if you genuinely want data on the health services a starting point would be this link to the Department of Health and Children statistics.

Commenting on the shape of the Minister is a cheap shot. Depersonalized debate and good manners ought to be observed. I could comment unfavourably on the shape of certain female Sinn Fein public figures but I check myself. It’s also sexist – there were no comments about Cowen’s shape when he was Minister and he is also overweight. In any case there is no connection a minister’s policy and his or her shape. If anything being overweight can make one appear avuncular and warm as was often said of the late Pope John XXIII. Churchill’s girth and lack of fitness did not mean he was not a vigorous and inspiriting leader of men. A rotund women can appear cuddly and genial whilst a thin athletic one can seem cold and forbidding.

One can promote the idea of public medicine if one wishes but don’t denigrate private medicine as if there is something immoral about it. It’s a free country there ought be nothing immoral about say choosing to visit a physiotherapist in private practice if one needs the services of one and one manages one’s affairs in such a way as one can afford to pay the fee for same eg. avoid going drinking one night a week to save €40. Likewise there is nothing wrong with someone who had studied physiotherapy being in private some or all of the time if they so desire. If you had a son or daughter or sibling who was a physio would you shun and despise them if they accepted payment for their services?

by Frank - none Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:25

I drove past the hotel this morning and saw about 20 SF activists outside protesting as Harney entered. Fair play to them. Its an absoulute disgrace a load of the great and the good paying €600 to turn up along with Private Health companies deciding whats best for the Irish Health system.

by Seán - Sinn Féin Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:27

Photos from this monrings protest

Mary Harney Puts poster on pole

Larry O Toole on the Picket line

Dessie Ellis on the picket line

by Con Carroll Thu Apr 24, 2008 16:01

having turned up for a protest which was called for by JoeHiggins. socialist party. Des Darwin. Dublin congress trade union. 19/04/. only 3 people turned up. the problem is there are people who pay into the private sector of health. who don't see the reality on the ground. Des Derwin Socialist Party couldn't even agree with each other at Saturday meeting