Nearly half the Irish population rely on private health insurance while the cost of private claims has risen by a third since the pandemic.
These were among the findings of new report on the extent of private health insurance in the Republic commissioned by Insurance Ireland from consulting firm Milliman.
The report found that 2.5 million people (46 per cent of the population) availed of private health insurance last year.
The value of claims covered by the four main players in the market – Vhi, Laya, Irish Life Health and the recently launched Level Health – has grown significantly, by 35 per cent in five years, rising from €2.25 billion in 2019 to €3.03 billion last year.
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In 2024, more than one million treatments across a spectrum of categories – including orthopaedic, cancer, digestive, cardiac and genitourinary – benefiting more than 800,000 claimants were provided through the private system.
The report noted that the landscape of private health insurance in Ireland has changed significantly in recent years.
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Originally it was provided almost solely through the public health system, but this has been reducing over time as the private hospital sector has grown.
This separation has also been accelerated by the introduction of Sláintecare, the Government’s plan to shift the service away from the current two-tier system to one of universal access.
“Removing private activity from public hospitals was identified as an important step towards achieving the Sláintecare objectives,” the report said.
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It also noted that the growth in private health insurance has been mirrored by the growth in the number of private hospitals in Ireland.
There are 21 private hospitals in Ireland (19 in the Republic and two in Northern Ireland), with the private system accounting for one in six hospital beds.
While the numbers availing of private health insurance have grown, membership as a percentage of the total Irish population has reduced in recent years as the population has increased, “which may threaten the financial sustainability of the PHI market over the longer term,” the report claimed.
Insurers referenced several measures for consideration by Government, including a review of tax relief at source and incentives for corporate sponsorship of employee health insurance.
They also flagged that employer-sponsored health insurance was seen as an important benefit for attracting and retaining talent.
“Although the market continues to grow, ongoing challenges remain that should be addressed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the market through collaboration between industry stakeholders and government representatives, this can be achieved, ensuring the continued positive impact of the sector,” Insurance Ireland chief executive Moyagh Murdock said.
