By recovery agency after private treatment for septicaemia
AN elderly ill woman is being pursued by a debt collectors for €4,000 after she received treatment for septicaemia in a hospital’s private wing, a health committee has heard.
Sinn Fein TD Louise O’reilly called on the HSE to immediately stop referring patients to debt recovery agencies.
Hospitals across Ireland pay collectors to pursue patients for statutory charges such as the €100 A&E fee and €80 per night inpatient bill.
She told the Oireachtas Health Committee: “I want to bring to your attention one example, of an elderly lady who has a medical card, who needed a hip operation. She could not wait so her family clubbed together so that their mother could get an operation privately.
“She developed septicaemia. She was admitted to hospital and because she had been a private patient, she was brought to the private wing.
“She’s an elderly lady, she did not know where she was being brought.
“She now has a bill for €4,000 and she’s been chased by a debt collection agency. I don’t want to give the name of the hospital as she is terrified about being identified.
“A debt collection agency does not care the woman had a medical card; they won’t care about her means or capacity to pay. What they will care about is recovering that debt.
“You should cease to use the debt collection agencies as I don’t think it has any place in the public health service.”
Health Minister Simon Harris said he awaits further detail of the woman’s case but added patients must opt in to private treatment if they have a medical card.
He said: “On that specific case, it sounds very traumatic. Let’s see if we can get some clarity from the HSE.”
HSE director general Paul Reid defended the use of debt collection agencies and said there is “significant pressure” on to recoup money.
He added the HSE has a statutory obligation to charge and collect these charges and hospitals have the discretion to operate payment plans where appropriate.
Mr Reid said: “There is significant pressure across the whole of government, in terms of debts to the taxpayer.
“The HSE features vary significantly in terms of our debt that is outstanding so there has been an ongoing process, led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to improve our collection of debt and it’s only right we should.
“I’m happy to investigate anything inappropriate but we have highly respected agencies who work with us.”
Mr Reid said at the end of September, the HSE budget overrun was €319 million. The comparable figure for the same period last year was €636million.
He said the overspend was mainly due to pension and demand-led areas and the HSE Service Plan will be submitted Mr Harris.
Separately, the minister said up to 190 beds will be opened to ease pressures on A&ES.
As of today, 83 beds will open at Letterkenny University Hospital, the Midland Regional Tullamore, Waterford University Hospital, Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Limerick and the Children’s Hospitals in Dublin.
Louise O’reilly TD
The debt collector does not care the woman has a medical card LOUISE O’REILLY
DAIL YESTERDAY